What are the Effects of the Recent Heavy Rains in Japan?

Osaka - Sunday, July 18, 2010

Since the end of July there has repeatedly been concentrated heavy rains almost nationwide (excluding Hokkaido) as explained in the previous article Why Repeated Heavy Rains Then Extreme Heat in Japan?, leading to negative effects such as people dying from landslides and flooded river in western Japan. As of July 18, 9 people have died and at least 5 people are missing and being searched, and thousands of people in many regions have evacuated from their homes.

In this article the author would like to introduce some of the examples of what happened and how some people have faced and/or survived.

1. Transportation

1) Trains

Shinkansen bullet train had stopped one day between Kyoto and Gifu Hashima stations once due to heavy rain.

Also, some local trains also stopped or had to be driven by reduced speed, affecting many people. In fact, when the author was on a local JR (Japan Railway) train on the way to work, it stopped for a while and then started to be driven by extremely reduced speed due to torrential rain. This made her arrive at her destination station 1-1/2 hour later than the original schedule, when it would only take just over 1 hour to get to the destination.

2) Roads

Some roads had to be closed due to landslides. This made some remote villages in the mountains isolated.

Also, many roads were flooded so people could not drive their car. It was difficult even to walk on flooded roads, as demonstrated by reporters of TV programmes.

2. Residents and stores

1) Houses

Some houses built near the mountains were damaged by landslides. Owners of such houses interviewed by TV programme reporters said that they were terrified to see large rock as big as cupboard and/or mud/sands attacking their house, and were shocked to see what happed afterwards; everything was ruined as if there had been a huge earthquake. It could have been worse because no one was in the room of the main target of the rocks and sands.

Some other houses reported suffered from severe floods. Very recently a river in/near the mountains in Hiroshima flooded and flooded river water mixed with landslide sands attacked many houses nearby. An old lady managed to survive in the midst of such a situation. She was trapped in the kitchen when her house flooded and was drifted into the river but managed to break the window to escape outside, used the chain for stabilizing PG (propane gas) as safety rope and was lucky to find a roof of a hut to escape to a road.

Even after the floodwaters receded in some regions, mud remains inside the houses. Electrical equipments were ruined, so did cars that were parked outside.

2) Stores

Many stores also suffered from floods and their goods to be sold were all ruined. Some store owners managed to evacuate their good to be sold upstairs but did not have time to evacuate all.

Electrical equipments were ruined, meaning investment is needed for the store owners to restart their business. For example, industrial refrigerators that food shops and restaurants store their goods and/or ingredients were ruined even if it looks good outside and need to be replaced with new ones immediately.

Another example reported is the case of hair dresser business owners. Their electric chairs were also ruined and they would need to repurchase them to restart their business. That would mean much investment.

3. Vegetables

1) Melons

Melons that were just before harvesting and shipping were ruined by the flood. After the flood had gone they look good outside but not inside. Since they had been in muddy flood water for a while, they have absorbed muddy water and therefore are not eligible. The melon farmers really regret; only if they had harvested and shipped one day before…

2) Chinese cabbages

Many Chinese cabbages were also ready for harvest when flooded. After the flood had gone, they really looked miserable in TV news.

And, the prices of various vegetables have gone up drastically again, after the prices had gone back to normal when they once gone up with abnormal weather in spring, as explained in the previous article How the Recent Weather Instabiolity Affecting Us? (Part 1).

4. The author’s final thoughts

There may well be more negative effects of the territorial rains on the society, economy and lives of people.

There has been abnormal climate/weather such as floods and extreme heat worldwide and the recent torrential rains in Japan seem to be a part of worldwide abnormal weather. This is a global environment issue and we all need to take actions immediately to solve this issue before the ecosystem collapses totally.

Why Repeated Heavy Rains Then Extreme Heat in Japan?

Osaka - Sunday, July 18, 2010

Since the end of July there have been torrential rains almost nationwide (excluding Hokkaido) causing severe landslides and floods. Even though it had been in a rainy season it was quite unusual to have such repeated, concentrated heavy rains for such a long period of time. Heavy rains stopped for this weekend marking the end of the rainy season for this year but there still remains a risk of such torrential rains again. What is more, it is quite possible that hot summer days will follow the weather recovery.

1. What is the reason for concentrated and repeated heavy rains?

The fact that atmosphere has been apt to be unstable is the reason for the concentrated and repeated heavy rains, attributing to strong warm and humid air flowing in from high pressure in the Pacific Ocean, and to cold air occasionally coming in stratosphere, when rainy season front has stayed hear Japan much longer than previous years.

The rainy season front has now moved up north east and should gradually further move north and disappear, but thunder clouds are being developed in regions strongly affected by strong damp warm air from the south even far away from the front. Damp warm air comes in following the rim of the Pacific high pressure. When there is cold air stratosphere, upper air current will become more violent.

Professor Yamagata of University of Tokyo says that another background for torrential rains is El Nino phenomenon that occurred from last summer to this spring. According to his explanation, this phenomenon makes the sea temperature of Eastern Pacific tropical waters higher than usual. Together with the flow of atmosphere made high pressure near Philippines strong. This made more humid air from topics come into Japan.

2. What is expected to come immediately after the end of the rainy season?

With stronger Pacific high pressure covering Japan we should have more sunny days and be free from heavy rains in most part of Japan for a while. It is forecasted that in Eastern Japan the highest temperature of the day will be extremely high.

However, it is possible that there will be localized heavy rains when the temperature hits high in inland and mountains and upper air current develops thunder clouds. It is forecasted that in northern Japan there will be many days that is not so sunny.

3. What is expected to come in the future?

What is called La Nina phenomenon, which is the reverse of El Nino phenomenon, is expected to occur in the future. With this phenomenon, Japan is to be covered with high pressure and therefore more likely to be extreme heat.

According to JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency), there is not yet such a sign of active convection current near Philippines; however, professor Yamagata assumes that in western Japan it will be extremely hot summer days from the end of July to August. In fact, on July 17, the temperature rose as high as 35.2℃ in Fukui and above 30.℃ in many parts of Japan including Tokyo and Osaka, and it was officially announced that the rainy season for this year has ended.