*Developing Story* Major River Flooding Eastern Japan - Rescues Underway - More Rain Expected
Major river floods in Ibaraki, eastern Japan Japan Sep. 10, 2015 - Updated 05:00 UTC-4
A major river has flooded in the eastern Japanese prefecture of Ibaraki, sweeping away homes and stranding many people. Heavy rain broke a levee of the Kinugawa river in the city of Joso on Thursday. Muddy waters were still gushing into residential areas at 4 PM. Footage taken from an NHK helicopter shows that the flood washed away or tilted many houses. Trapped residents were seen calling for help. Firefighters and Self-Defense Force personnel used helicopters to airlift people to safety. But the rescuers say they're having difficulty approaching homes by boat. Authorities say floods have affected up to 6,900 buildings in the area. A man in his 70s is reported missing. The authorities say the extent of the damage in the city is still unknown. In neighboring Tochigi Prefecture, a landslide hit 3 houses in Kanuma City, leaving one person missing. In the tourist city of Nikko, a prefectural road leading to a spa area collapsed, reportedly stranding about 900 people. In Saitama Prefecture, just north of Tokyo, the tracks of the Tobu Skytree Line were submerged in Koshigaya City, preventing trains from entering a station.
9 missing, 100 await rescue in city of Joso Japan Sep. 10, 2015 - Updated 08:43 UTC-4
Emergency officials in Ibaraki say 9 people in the city of Joso were missing as of 7 PM Thursday. The officials say contact with all 9 was lost after they had called for help themselves or through family members. About 100 others were awaiting rescue from flooded houses or were trapped elsewhere in the city.
More rain expected in northern Japan Japan Sep. 10, 2015 - Updated 08:43 UTC-4
Weather officials say a low-pressure system and approaching tropical storm are likely to bring more rain to much of eastern and northeastern Japan. Long bands of rainclouds streaked the skies over Japan's eastern and northeastern regions on Thursday. Some prefectures saw record rainfall. The more than 600 millimeters of rain that fell on Tochigi was more than double what the prefecture normally gets in all of September. Record rainfalls of nearly 300 millimeters fell in some parts of Ibaraki Prefecture. Water spilled over riverbanks and flooded homes. The Meteorological Agency has issued heavy rain warnings for some areas of Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures, north of Tokyo. An inland area of Fukushima Prefecture got its heaviest rain in 50 years, with 300 millimeters falling in 48 hours. The agency says downpours and thunderstorms are expected overnight across the Kanto region and northern Japan. The northeast may see heavy rains of more than 50 millimeters per hour. The agency has urged residents in areas of record rainfall to stay on high alert for flooding and landslides.
[4K] 錦に彩る大芦渓谷
Autumn Colors at Ohashi Keikoku, in Tochigi Pref., Japan
栃木県の紅葉の名所である大芦渓谷の2016年の紅葉を４Kでお送りします．
BGM：MusMus
Camera : SONY a6300(ILCE-6300), Super 35mm filming. Lends : Vario-Tessar T* E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS(SEL1670Z)