Emergency Warning for Rainfall Alerts Temporarily Declared in Select Regions of Kumamoto
A heavy rain emergency has been unfolding in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, since August 11, 2025. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued the emergency warning to secure the safety of residents in the affected areas.
The rainfall totals in Kumamoto have been exceptional, with the prefecture recording more than three times the average August rainfall. Tamana City recorded a record 404.5 millimeters in 12 hours, and Yatsushiro received 385.5 millimeters in 12 hours, both record highs for their respective locations. In just six hours before the rain warning was downgraded, Tamana City recorded an additional 370 millimeters of rain[1][3][4].
The heavy rain has led to several casualties and missing persons. At least 6 deaths have been reported due to flooding and landslides. Five people remain missing, including two individuals swept away by a river in Kumamoto and one swept away in a landslide in Kosa Town. Others are trapped due to collapsed buildings and landslides[3][1][5].
The severe flooding has submerged residential areas up to 1 meter deep, causing significant infrastructure damage. Damaged roads, swept-away vehicles, and disrupted train services, including the suspension of Shinkansen routes in northern Kyushu, are common sights[3][4].
Authorities continue rescue efforts amid ongoing rainfall and warn of landslide risks even after some warning levels were lowered[4][5]. The JMA and Fire and Disaster Management Agency maintain a high alert status to prevent further casualties as emergency response continues[3][1].
In Yatsushiro, a woman was found in cardiac arrest in a car that had sunk in an irrigation canal. The heavy rain emergency warning was later downgraded, indicating that the intensity of the rain has waned[1][2].
The emergency warning was initially issued for the city of Tamana and the town of Nagasu at 12:20 a.m. It was later expanded to include the cities of Yatsushiro, Uki, Kamiamakusa, and Amakusa, and the town of Hikawa[1][6]. The heavy rain emergency warning was issued to several cities and towns in Kumamoto Prefecture at different times[1][6].
As of mid-August 2025, over 3 million people were advised to evacuate, with roughly 384,000 residents under the highest-level evacuation warning primarily in Kumamoto[1][4]. The latest updates on the heavy rain emergency report at least 6 confirmed deaths, 5 missing persons, and widespread severe flooding[3][1].
[1] NHK World [2] Japan Today [3] Kyodo News [4] Asahi Shimbun [5] Mainichi Shimbun [6] The Japan News
- The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) shared photos and weather-forecasting data to aid media coverage of the heavy rain emergency in Kumamoto Prefecture.
- As a show of solidarity, several art institutions in Tokyo decided to display weather-related art pieces in their galleries to raise awareness about the ongoing heavy rain emergency in Kumamoto.
