Three missing, thousands ordered to evacuate as rain pounds northern Japan
04/08/2022 06:50
TOKYO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - At least three people were missing
and thousands in northern Japan were ordered to evacuate on
Thursday after torrential rains pounded the area, flooding roads
and causing rivers to burst their banks in some regions.
More than 500 mm (19 inches) of rain had fallen in one part
of Niigata prefecture in the 24 hours to 1:00 p.m. (0400 GMT),
NHK public television said, prompting authorities to issue the
highest possible level of disaster warnings in some areas.
Bridges were cut and roads were flooded, television footage
showed. Service along one portion of a Shinkansen superfast
train line was suspended.
Roughly 500,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Niigata,
Ishikawa and Yamagata prefectures, the Fire and Disaster
Management Agency said, but there were no immediate reports of
fatalities.
Though the affected areas are largely rural, they are also
home to a number of factories.
Major chipmaker Renesas Electronics Corp 6723.T
temporarily suspended operations at its factory in Yamagata,
northern Japan, after local authorities issued a warning over
heavy rains on Wednesday evening but said operations were mostly
back to normal.
Technoflex Corporation said it was suspending production at
a factory in Murakami due to a power outage and flooding until
the situation stabilised.
(Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
((elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com; +81-3-4563-2748; Reuters
Messaging: elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com))