Japan Landslide

A massive operation is afoot in central Japan after a landslide hit the famous resort/seaside city of Atami. 4 and/or more people - unfortunately - died and approximately 80 people are unaccounted for. Though there are still many people to be found, the number of missing has come down from 113, as it was earlier reported. On Sunday, nearly 1500 people volunteered to sweep and look through the hillside, rubble, and the affected parts for survivors after the deluge of black mud struck the city the previous day.

Followed by heavy rain, this landslide wiped away many houses. This year, the city of Atami has seen more rainfall in the first 3 days of July than they usually have in the whole month.

On Saturday, a video was posted on social media showing mud and rocks plummeting down a hillside/mountain in the prefecture of Shizuoka, making its way past Atami and moving towards the sea. The mud, debris, and water are presumed to have flowed alongside a river for 2 kilometres. Kanagawa, a neighbouring prefecture, has said that the weather in their area is also quite similar to the weather before and after the landslide.

A local official mentioned to the AFP news agency, that they are putting all their effort into searching for people who survived while operating safely and slowly due to the continuance of rain in the area. Rescuers are looking at all possible - however small the chance is - options for survivors, including inside all cars and vehicles.

Experts say that since Japan is a hilly/mountainous region, add to the fact that it is densely populated, landslides are not normal but not completely out of the blue either. However, there is more and more evidence that climate change is making these natural disasters more extreme, frequent, and catastrophic.

According to one - or more- residents the mudslide smote on Saturday, 10:30 local time (01:30 GMT). A resident/witness told a national broadcast that he ran to higher ground after he saw the mudslide roaring its way slithering its way through the city while rescue workers were coaxing/urging people to evacuate immediately.

Many residents described their experiences to AFP. One resident said that the electricity pylons were shaking like crazy, so he climbed a ladder. Another said that he heard an ‘unimaginable sound’ and indicated that he seemed to know it was a landslide, as he put two and two together (the rain, and its steadiness).

Japan Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga has assembled a task force/crew to help people and respond to this catastrophe, and the even bigger emergency caused by the heavy rainfall on the Pacific coastline. He has personally suggested that people remain on high alert. The main people/teams that are involved in the search - and rescue - operation are the Police and Firefighters. Roughly 140 of Japan’s military personnel are also aiding this search.

The mayor of Atami, Sake Saito has apprised local media that circa 300 homes have been - in some way - affected by the mudslide.

Japan’s spokesperson, Hiroki Onuma has said that they are actively speaking to various groups and organizations who are keeping them apprised of the situation and vice versa. He has also said Japan is doing their best at this time, and are pushing forward with their searches. Even though Onuma said the rainfall has ceased/stopped as of now, the forecast could be/is raising the possibility of further disasters like this for the city.

For the time being, hundreds of thousands of residents in 3 prefectures - Chiba, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa - have been ordered to evacuate subsequently to the warnings of further mudslides/heavy rainfall/flooding in the low-lying areas.

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