Flood-induced disappearances prompt Japan's call for evacuation
In the southwest region of Japan, Kumamoto prefecture has been hit hard by heavy rains, floods, and landslides. The Japanese authorities have urged millions to evacuate their homes due to the life-threatening situation.
Tamana city in Kumamoto prefecture has been particularly affected by the heavy rainfall. On August 10, two individuals in Fukuoka city were reported missing after being swept away in a surging river. Rescuers are attempting to reach an elderly man trapped inside a house struck by a landslide in Misato town, Kumamoto.
Surging rivers in Kumamoto prefecture have swept away vehicles and damaged roads, causing significant infrastructure damage. Approximately 384,000 residents, primarily in Kumamoto, faced Japan's most serious evacuation warning. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued evacuation advisories and warnings to over 3 million residents in the southwestern regions.
Television footage shows houses, stores, and vehicles submerged in about a meter of water in various communities in Kumamoto prefecture. Kazuhiro Masunaga, a Misato town official, stated that the rain was so heavy it obstructed visibility for four to five hours.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has reported record rainfall in Tamana city in the past six hours. More than 37 centimeters of rain fell in Tamana city, Kumamoto prefecture in six hours, which is a record for the area according to the agency. The most significant historical flood data for Tamana, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, comes from the extreme rainfall event in early August 2025. Tamana recorded 404 to 404.5 millimeters of rain in 12 hours, which is a record for the area and about twice the average rainfall for August. Within just 3 hours during the event, Tamana experienced about 284 millimeters of rain, indicative of intense rainfall rates.
The heavy rains, floods, and landslides have caused severe flooding, landslides, evacuations, and fatalities in the area. The 2025 rainfall was part of a broader pattern affecting southwestern Japan, including Kumamoto and neighboring prefectures, which recorded several times their average monthly rainfall in a few days. The flooding effects involved river overflow, landslides, and infrastructure damage, with confirmed deaths and missing persons reported during the disaster.
The heavy rain emergency warning issued was the highest level on the Japan Meteorological Agency's scale, demonstrating the severity of the event in Tamana and surrounding areas. The flooding in Kumamoto prefecture stands out as a record-breaking flood in terms of rainfall intensity and impact for the city. If you need information on earlier flood history or statistical flood records over decades, further specific archival or meteorological data access would be required.
Weather conditions in Kumamoto prefecture have deteriorated drastically, with record-breaking rainfall causing floods, landslides, evacuations, and fatalities. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that Tamana city experienced over 400 millimeters of rain in 12 hours, which is a historic record for the area.
