Heavy Rainfall in Japan as Tropical Storm Maevor Approaches

Heavy rainfall has occurred in various parts of Japan today, Friday, as tropical storm Maevor approaches, prompting authorities to advise evacuation for more than one million people despite no reports of injuries. Maevor weakened from a powerful typhoon to a tropical storm after causing destruction in Guam earlier this week. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported that “authorities advised nearly 1.3 million people across Japan to evacuate, mostly in areas of western Honshu, including Wakayama Prefecture.” The Ministry of Transport announced that it had cancelled a little over 300 flights by Friday afternoon, along with 52 ferry trips, and several train lines were suspended. Similar weather patterns have previously caused flooding and landslides, particularly in the summer of 2018 when over 200 people were killed in western Japan. Television footage showed several rivers near flooding by midday today, but there were no reports of flooding or landslides. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued warnings for flooding and landslides in western parts of Shikoku and Honshu islands, with expectations that water levels could reach 350 millimeters in parts of western Honshu within 24 hours until tomorrow morning, Saturday.