Skip to content

Excessive rainfall poses threat to millions in Japan

Critical situation poses significant risk to life

Heavy rainfall inundates millions of people in Japan, presenting a grave threat to their safety.
Heavy rainfall inundates millions of people in Japan, presenting a grave threat to their safety.

Excessive rainfall poses threat to millions in Japan

In the heart of August 2025, Japan is grappling with a life-threatening situation due to record-breaking rainfall, leading to severe flooding, landslides, and mass evacuations primarily in the regions of Kyushu, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, and Fukuoka. Over 3 million people have received evacuation advisories and warnings, with approximately 384,000 residents under the highest-level evacuation warning in Kumamoto Prefecture alone.

The hard-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, particularly the cities of Tamana and Nagasu, experienced record rainfall. Tamana City saw 404 mm in 12 hours and up to 581 mm accumulated, more than three times the average August rainfall. neighbouring Kagoshima recorded a staggering 500 mm rainfall in 24 hours, double the average for the entire month of August, causing floods and landslides in Kirishima city. Fukuoka Prefecture also reported heavy rainfall totaling 567 mm in days.

The disaster has claimed at least three lives, with a woman in her 30s missing after a landslide in Kagoshima, a person hit by a mudslide while driving to an evacuation center in Kumamoto, and others swept away by rivers during floods in Kumamoto and Fukuoka. In Kumamoto, two people in their 60s were swept away by the Saigo River. Several rescues occurred after landslides, with some individuals trapped or buried but later saved.

The situation was further complicated by previously unprecedented heat, with a record national temperature of 41.8°C, making the climate unusually volatile. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued their highest-level emergency warnings in some areas, urging continued vigilance and evacuations even after some warnings were downgraded.

The disaster has severely disrupted daily life, forcing mass evacuations, canceling flights (notably at Kagoshima Airport), and heavily damaging infrastructure, homes, and transportation networks across multiple prefectures in southern Japan. JR Kyushu, the southwestern Japanese railway operator, has suspended all train services for the day.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has assured the public that his government is "determined to implement disaster relief measures" and urged the public to stay vigilant. In the city of Misato, a rescue operation is underway for a resident trapped in a collapsed building, according to Kyodo. The disaster management agency advised that the utmost vigilance is required, even in areas not usually prone to disasters.

As the situation remains critical, authorities continue to urge residents to heed evacuation warnings and stay safe. The Japanese Red Cross and other relief organisations are on the ground, providing assistance to those affected by the disaster. The government and the people of Japan are working together to overcome this challenging time.

[1] Japan Times [2] NHK World [3] Kyodo News [4] Asahi Shimbun [5] Mainichi Shimbun

  1. The extreme weather event, marked by record-breaking rainfall in Japan, has been international news, with numerous general-news outlets such as The Japan Times, NHK World, Kyodo News, Asahi Shimbun, and Mainichi Shimbun reporting on the situation.
  2. Despite the downgraded weather-forecasting warnings, the International community remains concerned about the ongoing natural disasters in Japan, particularly in the regions of Kyushu, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, and Fukuoka, where residents are still under evacuation advisories and warnings.

Read also:

    Latest