Cleanup underway after deadly landslide strikes popular coastal town
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jul 8, 2021 11:33 AM EDT
A huge landslide swept away homes and left at least two people dead and 20 people missing on July 3, at a popular resort town in central Japan.
Following days of heavy rainfall, a terrifying landslide turned deadly for a popular resort town in Japan. The landslide, which damaged buildings and swept up vehicles in its path, occurred on Saturday, July 3, in Atami, Shizuoka, Japan.
The landslide led to the suspension of railway operations for a time over the weekend and resulted in between 100 to 300 damaged households. At least nine deaths have been confirmed as a result of the landslide.
Emergency responders began rescue operations quickly after the ground first gave way and flowed through the town. As of Thursday, the number of people unaccounted for was lowered to 22, according to Jiji Press.
As many as 2,000 rescue workers were at the scene of the mudslide.
Atami, located on Honshu's central-eastern coast, is located just 62 miles (100 km) to the southwest of Tokyo and is a popular resort destination due to its many natural hot springs.
General view of a site where heavy rainfall triggered a landslide in Zushi, south of Tokyo, Japan July 3, 2021. Kyodo/via REUTERS
Preceding the disastrous landslide in Atami, other landslides occurred across the region. One in Zushi, Kanagawa, on Saturday morning, blocked roads and injured at least one person.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has called for an emergency meeting due to the heavy rain and its impacts, including landslides. Suga expressed sympathy for the victims of the disaster. The Cabinet office of Shizuoka has stated it will apply the Disaster Relief Act to Atami.
These landslides are likely the result of several days in a row of heavy rain and thunderstorms last week across central portions of Honshu, according to AccuWeather forecasters. Many of these thunderstorms underwent what is called "training."
"Training" is when thunderstorms form in the same place over and over again in a short period of time. It is like the cars of a train, where one follows the other, moving over the same location as the last.
Training thunderstorms produce tremendous rainfall over relatively small areas and often lead to flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"The heavy rain for an extended period of time acted to loosen up the dirt, trees and debris along the hillside to cause this massive mudslide," AccuWeather Meteorologist Thomas Geiger said.
A heavy rain warning for ground-loosening was in effect in Atami and several other locations through Sunday.
"Tokyo itself has received over 8 inches (203 mm) of rain since the last day of June, and Atami is located south of Tokyo, basically right in the center of where these heavy storms stalled out," Geiger said.
Police officers search through a mudslide area caused by heavy rains in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, west of Tokyo, Monday, July 5, 2021. Rescue workers are slogging through mud and debris looking for dozens unaccounted for after a giant landslide ripped through the Japanese seaside resort town. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
With Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures gear up for the Olympic Games and associated tourism amidst a battle with COVID-19 cases, heavy rain and mudslides are the last thing the area needs.
"While precipitation won’t be nearly as heavy as it was last week, rain and showers are in the forecast every day until Thursday, which could cause further mudslides on already fragile ground, and hamper search and rescue efforts," said Geiger. There can be a brief break in the activity into Tuesday, but Geiger suspects spotty showers will linger for some.
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News / Severe Weather
Cleanup underway after deadly landslide strikes popular coastal town
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jul 8, 2021 11:33 AM EDT
A huge landslide swept away homes and left at least two people dead and 20 people missing on July 3, at a popular resort town in central Japan.
Following days of heavy rainfall, a terrifying landslide turned deadly for a popular resort town in Japan. The landslide, which damaged buildings and swept up vehicles in its path, occurred on Saturday, July 3, in Atami, Shizuoka, Japan.
The landslide led to the suspension of railway operations for a time over the weekend and resulted in between 100 to 300 damaged households. At least nine deaths have been confirmed as a result of the landslide.
Emergency responders began rescue operations quickly after the ground first gave way and flowed through the town. As of Thursday, the number of people unaccounted for was lowered to 22, according to Jiji Press.
As many as 2,000 rescue workers were at the scene of the mudslide.
Atami, located on Honshu's central-eastern coast, is located just 62 miles (100 km) to the southwest of Tokyo and is a popular resort destination due to its many natural hot springs.
General view of a site where heavy rainfall triggered a landslide in Zushi, south of Tokyo, Japan July 3, 2021. Kyodo/via REUTERS
Preceding the disastrous landslide in Atami, other landslides occurred across the region. One in Zushi, Kanagawa, on Saturday morning, blocked roads and injured at least one person.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has called for an emergency meeting due to the heavy rain and its impacts, including landslides. Suga expressed sympathy for the victims of the disaster. The Cabinet office of Shizuoka has stated it will apply the Disaster Relief Act to Atami.
These landslides are likely the result of several days in a row of heavy rain and thunderstorms last week across central portions of Honshu, according to AccuWeather forecasters. Many of these thunderstorms underwent what is called "training."
"Training" is when thunderstorms form in the same place over and over again in a short period of time. It is like the cars of a train, where one follows the other, moving over the same location as the last.
Training thunderstorms produce tremendous rainfall over relatively small areas and often lead to flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"The heavy rain for an extended period of time acted to loosen up the dirt, trees and debris along the hillside to cause this massive mudslide," AccuWeather Meteorologist Thomas Geiger said.
A heavy rain warning for ground-loosening was in effect in Atami and several other locations through Sunday.
"Tokyo itself has received over 8 inches (203 mm) of rain since the last day of June, and Atami is located south of Tokyo, basically right in the center of where these heavy storms stalled out," Geiger said.
Police officers search through a mudslide area caused by heavy rains in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, west of Tokyo, Monday, July 5, 2021. Rescue workers are slogging through mud and debris looking for dozens unaccounted for after a giant landslide ripped through the Japanese seaside resort town. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
With Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures gear up for the Olympic Games and associated tourism amidst a battle with COVID-19 cases, heavy rain and mudslides are the last thing the area needs.
"While precipitation won’t be nearly as heavy as it was last week, rain and showers are in the forecast every day until Thursday, which could cause further mudslides on already fragile ground, and hamper search and rescue efforts," said Geiger. There can be a brief break in the activity into Tuesday, but Geiger suspects spotty showers will linger for some.
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Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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