Severe rainfall and storms have swept through western Japan, prompting authorities to urge nearly 200,000 residents to evacuate due to the risk of landslides and flooding.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, heavy rains affecting the region are partly linked to the downgraded Typhoon Kong-rey, now classified as an extratropical cyclone.
The city of Matsuyama issued a top-level alert, recommending evacuation for 189,552 residents across ten districts, a local official confirmed. Though the evacuation is currently voluntary, such warnings are typically issued when there is an immediate disaster risk.
Meteorologists caution that landslides and flooding could hit western Japan on Saturday, with eastern areas possibly affected by Sunday. Due to the downpours, Shinkansen bullet train services between Tokyo and Fukuoka prefecture were temporarily halted but later resumed with delays.
