CHIBA - Residents in flood-hit areas of Chiba Prefecture continued clearing mud and damaged belongings from their homes on September 25 as emergency repairs began on a breached embankment at Lake Inba, with fresh heavy rain forecast for the weekend and Typhoon No. 26 threatening to bring further disruption next week.
The embankment surrounding Lake Inba, which stretches across Narita, Inzai and other municipalities in Chiba Prefecture, collapsed under torrential rain brought by Typhoon No. 25, causing extensive flooding in nearby residential areas. Although floodwaters have gradually begun to recede, the prospect of another round of heavy rain from September 26 has raised concerns about further damage.
A comparison of conditions on September 23 and September 25 showed that water levels had fallen enough to reveal rice plants in fields that had previously been completely submerged. However, oil spills have been detected in the flooded areas, creating an additional hazard.
Fires have also continued to break out at submerged solar panels, raising fears that flames could spread to spilled oil and cause secondary damage.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism began emergency repairs to the breached embankment on September 25, establishing a joint response unit known as Team Inba together with the Chiba prefectural government, the Japan Water Agency and the Kanto Regional Development Bureau.
The team will carry out temporary repairs to the damaged embankment while increasing the number of drainage pump trucks to as many as 30 in an effort to remove floodwater from residential areas as quickly as possible.
The emergency work comes as the autumn rain front is forecast to bring increasingly heavy rainfall to the Kanto region from September 26, leaving residents concerned that their homes could be flooded again before repairs are completed.
In residential neighborhoods near Lake Inba, where floodwaters have only recently begun to recede, residents were struggling to clean their inundated homes. Water continued dripping from floor chairs that had been carried outside, while damaged furniture and other household belongings were piled in gardens.
One resident said the immediate priority was to remove the waterlogged tatami mats before the next round of rain. "If we could at least get the tatami mats out. The weather is going to be bad tomorrow because it's going to rain. The water still hasn't completely receded, so of course we're worried about it happening again."
The approaching rain has added to the difficulties faced by households already struggling with extensive damage.
In areas around Lake Inba where the water has receded, the scale of the flooding has become increasingly apparent. The cargo bed of a large truck had been swept onto a road and left abandoned, while another vehicle had fallen off the roadside.
Inside flooded homes, furniture, electrical appliances and other household belongings have been damaged beyond use.
One resident described how containers of kerosene that had been stored near the entrance began floating when the water entered the house. "All the kerosene was by the front door, but everything started floating, so we moved it over here. The television area is ruined too. This is the worst."
The flooding has also left residents without transportation at a time when they need vehicles to purchase food, cleaning supplies and other necessities for recovery.
One household lost both of its vehicles after they were submerged. "Both cars are finished. They were underwater up to where you can see the marks," the resident said.
With more rain expected from the autumn rain front over the weekend, residents are particularly concerned about whether the damaged embankment can be repaired before water levels rise again.
One resident said another disaster could be avoided if the breach at Lake Inba were repaired in time. "I think we would be all right if they just fixed the breached embankment at Lake Inba. The question is whether they can repair it. If they don't, we'll be hit a second time."
Beyond the immediate threat of renewed flooding, the effects of Typhoon No. 25 are expected to disrupt daily life for months.
Around Anegasaki Station in Chiba Prefecture, extensive landslides have sent large quantities of fallen trees, mud and debris onto roads and railway tracks, blocking transportation routes.
JR East's Uchibo Line between Anegasaki and Kisarazu stations is expected to require at least three months to restore, leaving commuters and other passengers facing prolonged disruption.
By the afternoon of September 25, the ticket gate areas for the Uchibo and Kururi lines at Kisarazu Station were almost deserted, apparently reflecting the suspension of train services.
Replacement bus services are scheduled to begin early next week, although passengers have expressed concern about longer journeys, congestion and the reliability of alternative transportation.
One passenger at Kisarazu Station observed that the lines of people waiting for buses appeared longer than usual. Another said, "I'm worried about whether the buses will arrive on time and whether they'll be delayed by traffic. I hope they fix the railway soon. It's inconvenient when the trains aren't running."
As recovery efforts continue across Chiba and neighboring prefectures, another typhoon is approaching Japan.
Typhoon No. 26 is forecast to gradually develop a storm-force wind zone and approach Okinawa with strong intensity early next week. The storm could subsequently move northward over waters south of Japan's main islands.
The combination of Typhoon No. 26 and the autumn rain front could bring further heavy rainfall to the Kanto region next week, potentially prolonging the damage and disruption caused by Typhoon No. 25.
Particular caution is needed in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, where the previous typhoon has already saturated and destabilized the ground. Even relatively small amounts of additional rainfall could trigger fresh landslides in areas still recovering from the disaster.
