Severe Weather Alert Declared in a City in Southwestern Japan Due to Heavy Downpour
Breaking News: Historic Rainfall Causes Emergency in Kagoshima, Japan
On August 8, 2025, a heavy rain emergency was declared in Kirishima city, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The emergency was issued due to intense rainfall from a linear precipitation zone, which caused record-breaking rainfall in the area.
The heavy rainfall led to multiple incidents of landslides and flooding, resulting in significant damages. At least one house collapsed in Kirishima, and two women were hospitalized after a house collapse in Aira city. Two trucks also fell from a damaged bridge in Kirishima, with all occupants rescued. Additionally, approximately 40 people, including children, were temporarily isolated at a campsite due to road damage.
The heavy rainfall caused floodwater to reach knee level inside a Kirishima shopping mall, and local transportation was severely disrupted. Trains, buses, and many flights were halted, and around 450 homes lost electricity. About 14,300 homes in Aira temporarily lost running water. The Amori River flood risk also temporarily rose due to the heavy rainfall.
To address the emergency, the government issued the highest disaster alert and evacuation advisories to over 360,000 people in Kagoshima and neighboring Miyazaki. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced emergency response efforts, the creation of a government task force, and urged residents to remain alert and follow safety instructions. He emphasized the importance of careful consideration whether to evacuate or stay put, depending on immediate risks.
The heavy rain emergency was initially at the highest level on the national five-tier disaster alert system but was downgraded to a heavy rain warning by early afternoon as conditions improved. The emergency warning was issued at 5 a.m. and was downgraded to a heavy rain warning at 1:30 p.m.
The causes of this emergency include a linear precipitation zone that intermittently affected the prefecture, causing record-breaking rainfall. In Mizobe (a district in Kirishima), 107.5 mm of rain fell in one hour before 3 a.m., with a 12-hour total of 483 mm—both area records. Makinohara, another part of Kirishima, also set a record rainfall of 495 mm over 12 hours.
This news article was compiled using information from various sources, including the Japan Meteorological Agency, local authorities, and government announcements. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available. Stay safe.
[1] Japan Meteorological Agency [2] Kagoshima Prefectural Government [3] Prime Minister's Office of Japan [4] Kyushu Shimbun [5] NHK World News
Note: This article was generated by a language model and may contain minor inaccuracies. Always verify information from multiple sources before making decisions.
[1] In an effort to document the historical event, various photographers from Kagoshima braved the weather to captureimages of the flooding and landslides.
[2] As the weather-forecasting agencies predicted, the continuous downpour led to the devastating emergency situation in Kagoshima. The heavy rain was a severe test for both the arts of photography and weather-forecasting in the region.
