CHIBA - Heavy rain linked to former Typhoon No. 30 continued to affect large parts of Japan on October 26, with authorities warning of potentially dangerous rainfall from the Kanto region to Shikoku, raising concerns in Chiba Prefecture's Shisui Town, where flooding caused by Typhoon No. 25 last month left homes and roads submerged for nearly three weeks.
The storm, which struck Japan over the weekend before weakening into an extratropical low-pressure system, remained over waters west of Kyushu at 1:30 p.m. on October 26. Although it was no longer classified as a typhoon, its interaction with a weather front continued to generate widespread heavy rain, flooding and strong winds.
In Shisui Town, residents were preparing for another round of rainfall just two weeks after floodwaters finally receded on October 13. The area had suffered extensive inundation during Typhoon No. 25 in September, with water reaching halfway up the first floors of some homes and remaining for approximately three weeks.
The prolonged flooding was caused by a landslide that blocked a drainage system designed to carry water from the neighborhood into a nearby river. With the drainage route destroyed, rainwater accumulated in the residential area, while water continued to seep from surrounding hillsides saturated by earlier rainfall.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism deployed multiple drainage pumps and specialized vehicles to remove the accumulated water, eventually allowing the submerged streets and surrounding parkland to reappear.
However, the damaged drainage infrastructure has not been permanently repaired, leaving the neighborhood dependent on emergency pumping equipment to prevent another disaster.
Authorities have positioned pumps and vehicles in the area, ready to operate if water levels begin rising again. Rainfall of around 100 millimeters was forecast for the area over the following 24 hours, prompting renewed concern among residents.
Despite the removal of floodwaters, eight households comprising 16 people remained evacuated as of October 26. Many homes suffered prolonged exposure to water, leaving residents facing extensive cleanup and repairs before they could resume normal life.
One resident described the continuing anxiety caused by the damaged drainage system, saying that every new rainfall brings fears of another flood and draws attention to the landslide site and emergency pumps.
The situation illustrates the difficulties facing communities recovering from repeated extreme rainfall, particularly where temporary measures have restored drainage capacity without resolving the underlying infrastructure damage.
Elsewhere, the former typhoon brought particularly heavy rainfall to northern Kyushu, where some areas recorded more than 200 millimeters over a 12-hour period.
Goto City in Nagasaki Prefecture recorded 221 millimeters of rain, while Hirado City received 153 millimeters. Strong winds were also observed, with gusts reaching 23.1 meters per second in one affected area.
The severe weather was linked to a fatal incident in Minamishimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture, where a man identified as Nakao was found dead at a fishing port on the evening of October 25. According to police, his family believed he may have gone to inspect a boat after leaving home earlier that afternoon to prepare for the approaching storm.
In Fukuoka Prefecture, heavy rain caused rivers to rise and prompted residents and businesses to take precautions against flooding.
In one riverside area previously affected by severe rainfall, water levels rose rapidly during the storm. The same locality experienced serious flooding during earlier heavy rain, when the boundary between roads and waterways became difficult to distinguish and vehicles were partially submerged.
Farmers also faced renewed concerns about damage to agricultural production.
At a farm previously affected by flooding, heavy rain had flattened rice plants and carried sediment into fields. Most of this year's rice harvest had already been completed, but vegetables, particularly cabbages, remained vulnerable.
Workers reinforced the bases of cabbage plants by piling soil around their roots, seeking to prevent the plants from loosening or being torn away by wind and rain.
The farm had suffered extensive damage during previous flooding, making preparations particularly important as another major storm approached.
In Fukuoka City, intense rainfall continued overnight into October 26, leaving standing water on roads in the Hakata district. Vehicles drove through large puddles as heavy rain fell during the early morning.
The poor weather also affected port operations. At Hakata Port, ferry services were disrupted, waiting areas were largely deserted, and notices announced cancellations and temporary closures. Hakata Port Tower was also temporarily closed because of the approaching storm.
Conditions improved later in the morning, with rain stopping around 11 a.m. and occasional sunshine appearing through the clouds.
At the Kiyokawa Sunroad shopping street, where businesses have experienced repeated flooding, shopkeepers had taken precautions against another inundation. One discount store routinely places flood barriers outside its entrance when heavy rain is expected.
The shopping district, which includes vegetable shops, restaurants and other small businesses, had suffered water damage during heavy rainfall in August. Although the latest storm did not cause major flooding there, local businesses remained concerned about future disasters.
By early afternoon, most shoppers were walking without umbrellas and roads had dried, although winds remained noticeable. The immediate threat of warning-level rainfall in Fukuoka had eased, but authorities continued to urge caution against landslides.
In Wakayama Prefecture, the former typhoon produced some of the heaviest October rainfall on record.
Wakayama City and Iwade recorded hourly rainfall of 68 millimeters, setting new October records for the observation locations.
Roads near Wakayama Station were submerged on October 25, with vehicles driving through deep standing water and sending waves across flooded streets.
Emergency landslide warnings corresponding to Level 4 were temporarily issued for areas including Arida City and Iwade, as officials urged residents to remain alert to the possibility of slope failures.
Meteorological authorities also issued information warning of the possible formation of a linear rainband, a concentrated area of repeatedly developing rain clouds capable of producing extreme rainfall.
Although such a rainband did not develop, the prefecture experienced exceptionally intense precipitation. Wakayama City received rainfall equivalent to approximately one month's normal total over a short period during the weekend.
In Osaka, steady rain continued through October 26, affecting the busy Minami entertainment district.
Visitors around Ebisubashi Bridge and the Dotonbori canal sheltered under umbrellas, while nearby covered shopping streets were crowded with people seeking protection from the rain.
Temperatures remained low, with Osaka recording approximately 19.1 degrees Celsius during the afternoon. Many pedestrians wore jackets, sweaters and heavier clothing as occasional gusts added to the cold conditions.
Restaurants with outdoor seating took extra precautions. One establishment along Dotonbori installed additional tents to protect customers after forecasts warned of heavy rain, although conditions during the afternoon proved less severe than initially feared.
Forecasters nevertheless warned that Osaka and neighboring Wakayama could experience warning-level rainfall through the evening of October 26.
Some areas were expected to receive rainfall over the 24 hours through the morning of October 27 equivalent to approximately three weeks of average October precipitation.
Rain also continued around Nagoya Port as a broad band of rain clouds extended from western into eastern Japan.
Meteorologists warned that the rain system was gradually moving eastward, bringing the possibility of intense rainfall to the Tokai and Kanto regions through the night of October 26 and, in some locations, into the early morning of October 27.
Even areas experiencing relatively light rainfall during the afternoon were advised to prepare for a sudden deterioration in conditions.
For Shisui Town, the approaching rain presents a particularly serious challenge. Although emergency pumps have temporarily restored the ability to remove accumulated water, the original drainage system remains unusable following September's landslide.
Residents fear that another period of intense rainfall could overwhelm the temporary arrangements and send floodwaters back into homes that have only recently emerged from nearly three weeks underwater.
Source: KTV NEWS
