Torrential Rain Likely For Eastern, Western Japan


Torrential rain likely for eastern, western Japan

Weather officials say a seasonal rain front lingering over Japan is creating localized thunderclouds that will unleash torrential quantities of rain over western and eastern Japan through Sunday. They warn that the downpour could trigger landslides and overflowing rivers.

The Meteorological Agency says the rainclouds formed over the Tokai and Kanto-Koshin regions on Saturday because of unstable atmospheric conditions.

The city of Okazaki in Aichi Prefecture, Central Japan, recorded 33 millimeters of rain in the hour through 11 a.m.

Weather officials forecast 50 millimeters or more per hour across western and eastern Japan through Sunday.

They say in the 24 hours through Sunday morning, there will likely be 250 millimeters of rain in Tokai, 200 millimeters in Shikoku, 180 millimeters in Kinki, and 120 millimeters in the southern Kyushu, Hokuriku and Kanto Koshin regions.

More rainfall is expected through Monday morning.

Forecasters are warning of landslides, overflowing rivers, inundation in low-lying areas, as well as lightning and gusts. They say in some places, the soil has already absorbed a vast amount of moisture from the lingering seasonal front, so even a small amount of additional rain could trigger disasters.