Heavy rain floods Japan and Taiwan, prompting evacuations

Heavy rain triggered flooding and widespread disruption across Japan and Taiwan on Friday, June 26, as two tropical storms approached the region, prompting mass evacuations, transport cancellations, and warnings of landslides. The severe weather has already caused injuries and significant damage.

In Japan, authorities advised more than one million residents to evacuate areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported four people were injured, including one seriously, and that dozens of buildings were flooded, primarily in Kagoshima Prefecture. More than 30 homes were flooded in Nara and Hiroshima. Television footage showed the Kamo River in Kyoto swollen with muddy water, and flooding alerts were issued for parts of Kyoto, Osaka, and other western regions.

The disruption to travel has been extensive. Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, canceled at least 120 domestic flights, mainly to and from the southern prefectures of Okinawa and Kagoshima. Heavy rain also disrupted train operations and led to the closure of several expressways. The severe weather has impacted industrial and military activities as...