Flooding in Japan

Unprecedented rainfall across western and southern Japan has caused serious flooding and landslides.  Many roads are blocked or washed out and rail lines damaged.

Three people are confirmed dead with many more missing in floodwaters across a number of prefectures.

The worst affected areas include the regions around Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Fukuoka and western Kochi.  Severe weather warnings are also in place for Saga and Nagasaki prefectures with heavy rain forecast for the rest of the weekend.   More than 200,000 people have been ordered to evacuate areas of Kyoto due to the risk to their homes.

Travelers in the affected regions may find that public transport, including trains is disrupted.  They should follow the instructions of the local authorities and avoid rivers and flooded areas and should not attempt to drive through floodwaters.

At this stage there has been minor impact on flights with airports remaining open however some airport train lines are closed or struggling with delays.  People may need to find alternative arrangements to get to and from some airports.