Hiroshima Mudslide killed up to 50 People this morning!

Mudslides kill 36 in Hiroshima
HIROSHIMA – At least 36 people were confirmed dead and seven remained missing after torrential rain sparked flooding and landslides in the city of Hiroshima on Wednesday, according to police.

A 2-year-old boy was pronounced dead after being buried for two hours in a mudslide, while a man and a 77-year-old woman were also confirmed dead in the city, Hiroshima rescue workers said. A 53-year-old firefighter was later killed during a rescue after being caught in a landslide.

More than 100 mm of rain per hour was recorded in Hiroshima early Wednesday, triggering at least 20 reports of people buried alive or washed away in flooding.

The Hiroshima Prefectural Government has requested the aid of the Ground Self-Defense Force for rescue operations.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed government bodies to make all-out efforts to rescue those affected. Abe cut short a round of golf in Yamanashi Prefecture, where he was vacationing, following reports of the disaster and returned to Tokyo.


Source: [link to www.japantimes.co.jp]

Landslides Kill at Least 32 in Hiroshima
The landslides took place around 3:30 a.m. local time, after rainfall of up to four inches per hour was recorded by the national weather agency. Many of the victims appeared to be asleep when entire hillsides, heavy with the weight of rainwater, suddenly gave way.

Japanese news reports quoted one survivor as saying that he had heard the frantic screams of the buried boys’ mother and had rushed to find their house covered in mud. He said he dug with his bare hands until he found the younger boy, but he could not free him because of furniture and other debris, according to Kyodo, a Japanese news agency.
.....

Video footage taken by helicopter showed thick layers of mud and, in some places, raging torrents of muddy water flowing through what had been neighborhoods of tightly spaced homes. Many of the wooden houses had been shattered into broken planks and piles of colorful roof tiles.

Source: [link to www.nytimes.com]

Video is relative fresh from this Morning JST,
it is from Rt but without a Comment:

[link to youtu.be]

[link to youtu.be]

More Material in English!

Hiroshima slide alert said tardy; toll hits 39 as search for missing seven continues
HIROSHIMA – The landslides and flooding triggered by torrential rain overnight Wednesday that engulfed residential areas in Hiroshima so far have left 39 people confirmed dead and seven remained missing, and more Self-Defense Forces personnel have been sent in to join the search and rescue effort.

The government boosted the number of SDF personnel deployed for rescue operations to 600 to continue operations through the night. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was taking his summer vacation, cut short a game of golf to return to his office in Tokyo to deal with the disaster.

In Asakita Ward, Hiroshima, one of the hardest-hit areas, a record 217.5 mm of rain fell in the three hours from 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. The city of Hiroshima started issuing evacuation advisories at 4:15 a.m., but an official admitted the action was late.


Source: [link to www.japantimes.co.jp]

Hiroshima death toll rises to 39, as city admits evacuation order delayed
HIROSHIMA--As the death toll from massive landslides caused by torrential rains in northern parts of Hiroshima rose to 39, it became evident that local authorities were too slow in issuing evacuation orders.

Rescue workers are still struggling to locate whereabouts of seven people missing since early Aug. 20.

Kenzo Kanayama, crisis management chief at the city’s fire department, said, “The scale of the torrential rain was unprecedented for the city, and we have to admit that we failed to assess its dangers properly.”

In the Yagi and Midorii districts in the city’s Asa-Minami Ward, where extensive damage from the mudslides occurred, the accumulated rainfall reached 194 millimeters by 3 a.m. on Aug. 20, surpassing the city’s criteria of 160 mm to issue an evacuation advisory.

But the department issued the advisories at 4:30 a.m., after receiving at least four emergency calls reporting mudslides and people being buried alive.

“It is certain that there were delays in issuing evacuation advisories,” Kanayama said. “If we had properly issued the advisories, there could have been fewer casualties.”


Source and full Article here: [link to ajw.asahi.com]

NHK just report that they still miss 26 People.

It is a Drama, again.

We need more Concrete and need to leveling
the Japanese Montañas!

thank you for the quick news!

This sucks :(

[link to youtu.be]



[link to youtu.be]

Just Evening-Update:
they added 43 People to the Missing-List,
it will be up to 100 killed all together!

NATIONAL
Hiroshima search delayed by heavy rain
HIROSHIMA – Heavy rain on Friday hampered the search for 52 people believed buried alive on the edge of Hiroshima as opposition politicians hounded Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for golfing and relaxing while responding to the disaster.

Rescuers feared the continuing rain could set off further mudslides in the area after a month’s worth of rain fell overnight Wednesday, loosening slopes already saturated by heavy rain over the past few weeks.

The death toll stood at 39 as of Friday evening.
.....
During is first meeting, Furuya expressed concern that the rescue operations may take a long time. Noting that about 1,700 evacuees may be forced to remain outside their homes for a prolonged time, he urged that efforts be directed to restore residents’ lifelines as soon as possible and provide care for the evacuees in terms of their mental and physical health.

Rescue activities were temporarily halted due to rain that started falling late Thursday. The local meteorological office issued a heavy rain warning at 5 a.m. Friday and warned of more mudslides.



Source: [link to www.japantimes.co.jp]

Actually they had massive Mudslides in Hiroshima in 1999 too
but their Alarm System was not working as planned!

In another Prefecture more than 150.000 People
are prepared for Evacuation because of the Heavy Rains,
Japan is very, very hot in Summer but now the first Cold Fronts arrived
which start big Rain when they meet each other!

NATIONAL
Hiroshima search delayed by heavy rain
HIROSHIMA – Heavy rain on Friday hampered the search for 52 people believed buried alive on the edge of Hiroshima as opposition politicians hounded Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for golfing and relaxing while responding to the disaster.

Rescuers feared the continuing rain could set off further mudslides in the area after a month’s worth of rain fell overnight Wednesday, loosening slopes already saturated by heavy rain over the past few weeks.

The death toll stood at 39 as of Friday evening.
.....
During is first meeting, Furuya expressed concern that the rescue operations may take a long time. Noting that about 1,700 evacuees may be forced to remain outside their homes for a prolonged time, he urged that efforts be directed to restore residents’ lifelines as soon as possible and provide care for the evacuees in terms of their mental and physical health.

Rescue activities were temporarily halted due to rain that started falling late Thursday. The local meteorological office issued a heavy rain warning at 5 a.m. Friday and warned of more mudslides.



Source: [link to www.japantimes.co.jp]

Actually they had massive Mudslides in Hiroshima in 1999 too
but their Alarm System was not working as planned!

In another Prefecture more than 150.000 People
are prepared for Evacuation because of the Heavy Rains,
Japan is very, very hot in Summer but now the first Cold Fronts arrived
which start big Rain when they meet each other!