Typhoon death toll rises to 40 as search-and-rescue operations continue

No matter how many years have passed and how much work Japan has done to improve disaster management and flood control, this typhoon is a reminder of the country's natural vulnerability to typhoons.

Significant amounts of rain pouring down on significant mountain areas with steep gradients, a limited number of rivers fairly short in length, and significant centers of population along / in their natural flood plains.

My parents lived in Tohoku during Typhoon Ida in 1958 and that typhoon made its mark on Japan. For all of those who wonder why so many / most Japanese rivers now are marked by high levees and extensive use of concrete, it was this typhoon that truly pushed the post-war government to try to tackle flooding from heavy rains, especially typhoons.

1,200 people died in that typhoon.

The death toll keeps rising. This is why you can't be too prepared.

I've been researching a certain section of our local river in Kumamoto recently. Levees were first built in 1640 which eventually failed so were replaced in 1760; those also eventually failed so were replaced with concrete in 1950. Those failed a few years ago, and the goverment widened the river a built immense banks from stone. It has been an immense project, but stone lasts (many of the masons were from Nigeria, and each stone was cut to fit on site).

It shows us how powerless we are in face of nature.

Not sure if they are counting the lost crew of the ship that sank in Tokyo Bay during Typhoon #19, but sadly the figures are still gradually rising and likely to top 50 dead and 200 injured.

Japan's river levees are built using known rainfall figures, such as 300 mm max of rain in 24 hours, etc. On TV some are suggesting that if the climate is changing, then new levees may need to be built to withstand super typhoons.

Most flooding is the result of us thinking we can tame rivers.

Recent research tells us that straightening rivers and banking them with concrete exacerbates flooding farther downstream by speeding up waterflow.

Water that has to take natural bends and in rivers where the flood plains are left as they should be, slows down flow and reduced sudden flooding.

As with many problems we face - we should take more lessons from nature.

I didn't see much information about central Tokyo in the past two days. Perhaps the damage there is limited?

I didn't see much information about central Tokyo in the past two days. Perhaps the damage there is limited?

It was.

nadakanamanda says it but the frightening question is about the changing climate. If stronger storms are on the way, how high are the levees going to have to be rebuilt?

Due to historic flooding of Tokyo by the rivers like the Edo and the Tone, Japan already has a "super levee" project for levees backed with vast earthworks. They will take decades if not centuries to complete.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%AB%98%E8%A6%8F%E6%A0%BC%E5%A0%A4%E9%98%B2

@Jeff and Disi: Debris. I will let your superior intellect work that out. Plus, logistics. Supplying an engine with gas, in these circumstances? Well, they may well have already used an outboard motor -- doubtful see previous -- and exhausted the file supply, hence. QED.

Levees can’t be the answer - but rather dredging and widening. In addition to levees of course. Plus restricting land lower in elevation than the levee top to non residential use. A dramatic change, but necessary if lives are not to be lost every year.

DisillusionedToday  09:38 pm JST I'm sorry, but that cover photo looks like something straight out of the 40's with their old wooden boat and their paddles. I also count ten rescuers on that small rubber boat in the third photo.

That jumped out for me as well. Paddling? Why doesn't that boat have an outboard engine?

Look again. The boat does have an outboard. You can see it in the photo. They are in shallow waters full of debris and quite possibly human bodies. Common sense would tell you that a little care needs to be taken during the search.

when I watched the rugby yesterday there was a short pause at the beginning for reflection on the previous days typhoon and the tragic loss of life. its sad that the death toll is rising.

I visited Okinawa several times and I can see the buildings and houses there with more holes every partitions and the ditches much deeper, to avoid the tremendous calamities of typhoons coming every year stronger and stronger. I live in Fukuoka and I can feel those typhoons coming every year stronger and not really prepared that ones Okinawan people do. So, those typhoons coming and going different routes with bigger size and much speed and stronger further those go, how can people be prepared at most,? However from those experiences Japan will show more defensive infra-structure (Okinawa has) to those future typhoons. At least from experiences and let's see real actions to make the real fortress... Maybe a little earlier when people only know from media what's going on + need support from the government of lawmakers not -prepared or perhaps ignoring to use national budget in the correct purpose.

DisillusionedToday  09:38 pm JST I'm sorry, but that cover photo looks like something straight out of the 40's with their old wooden boat and their paddles. I also count ten rescuers on that small rubber boat in the third photo.

That jumped out for me as well. Paddling? Why doesn't that boat have an outboard engine?

I'm sorry, but that cover photo looks like something straight out of the 40's with their old wooden boat and their paddles. I also count ten rescuers on that small rubber boat in the third photo.