Mass exodus imminent as millions of Japanese residents prepare to vacate their residences
Heavy Rain and Landslides Cause Evacuation Orders in Southwestern Japan
Millions of residents in southwestern Japan are currently affected by flooding and landslide threats, with ongoing evacuation orders focused on Kyushu prefectures such as Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, and Miyazaki.
On August 18, 2025, heavy rain in Japan, particularly in the Kyushu region, has caused severe flooding and landslides, prompting widespread evacuation advisories and emergency responses. Over 3 million residents in southwestern Japan have been urged to evacuate due to high risks of floods and landslides, with approximately 384,000 people, mainly in Kumamoto Prefecture, facing Japan's most serious evacuation warnings.
The disaster management agency's advisories and warnings now apply to over three million residents in total, with a significant number in Kumamoto. The man's wife and children were spared harm in the landslide incident in Kosa city, Kumamoto, where the news agency AFP reported a man being swept away by a landslide. Several people are reported missing after initial landslides.
In Tamana city, Kumamoto, the weather service reported a record-breaking 37 cm (370 liters per square meter) of rain in just six hours. The disaster management agency continues to advise evacuation for over three million residents in southwestern Japan, especially in areas with steep slopes and urban centers near riverbanks.
The disaster management agency is urging the immediate seeking of safety for those under the highest evacuation warning level in Kumamoto. Homes, shops, and vehicles have been submerged in water up to a meter deep in Kumamoto prefecture. Swollen rivers swept away vehicles and damaged roads.
The Japanese weather service issued a warning that the situation is life-threatening, and even in areas not normally prone to disasters, the utmost caution is advised. The government has mobilized emergency task forces, suspended transport services including high-speed rail and flights, and continues monitoring unstable conditions intensified by climate change and seasonal weather.
Residents are urged to stay alert and comply with evacuation warnings due to persistent danger from saturated soil and damaged infrastructure. Authorities continue rescue operations and urge residents to remain vigilant, avoid flood and landslide-prone areas, and seek shelter in sturdy buildings until conditions improve.
The Commission, in light of the ongoing disaster in southwestern Japan, might consider incorporating weather-forecasting systems as part of their proposed directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation. The heavy rain in the Kyushu region, which has led to evacuation orders, underscores the importance of such systems in preventing or mitigating similar disasters.
