Japan launches major rescue after ‘immense’ typhoon floods
TOKYO — Helicopters plucked people from their flooded homes on Sunday as rescue efforts went into full force in wide areas of Japan after a powerful typhoon unleashed heavy rainfall on Tokyo and surrounding areas, leaving at least seven dead and 15 missing.
Public broadcaster NHK gave a higher toll than the government of 10 dead and 16 missing plus 128 injured as more details were coming in the from field, a day after Typhoon Hagibis made landfall south of Tokyo and moved northward.
“The major typhoon has caused immense damage far and wide in eastern Japan,” government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters, adding that 27,000 military troops and other rescue crews were deployed for the operation.
News footage showed a rescue helicopter hovering in a flooded area in Nagano prefecture where an embankment of the Chikuma River broke, and streams of water were continuing to spread over residential areas. The chopper plucked those stranded on the second floor of a home submerged in muddy waters.
Aerial footage showed tractors at work trying to control the flooding. Meanwhile, rows of Japan’s prized bullet trains, parked in a facility, were sitting in a pool of water.
A stretch of Fukushima was also flooded with only rooftops of residential homes visible in some areas. Parts of nearby Miyagi prefecture were also under water.
The Tama River, which runs by Tokyo, overflowed its banks.
Authorities warned of a risk of mudslides. Among the reported deaths were those whose homes were buried in landslides. Other fatalities included people who got swept away by raging rivers.
Suga said that damage to housing from the flooding was extensive but promised recovery was on its way. Some 376,000 homes were without electricity, and 14,000 homes lacked running water, he said.
Boats as well as helicopters were sent to the flooded areas, while rescue crew dug through dirt in other areas to try to get people out from homes buried by landslides.
Several train service in the Tokyo area resumed early morning, although others were undergoing safety checks and were expected to restart later Sunday.
Ruling party politician Fumio Kishida said the government will do its utmost in rescue operations.
He acknowledged Japan’s power grids need to be strengthened so people in disaster areas can rely on timely information.