Floods hit northeastern Japan as major river bursts banks

Sounds like you've never seen Okura from Google maps. Lots of flat land away from the rivers, mostly farmland or forests. The buildings are densely packed together and hugging the riverbank.

Jeff, you are kidding me. I've been through Yamagata a bunch of times, Okura is built in a valley . that's the tip off buddy, it's a valley bordered by steep hills and mountains. Where are these flat plains? Sure as heck ain't in Okura Village. Facts are one thing but you're not even on the same page.

Most people live in cities and Tokyo has the most expensive and comprehensive anti flooding measures in the world.

However, country districts do not.

In Japan, there is a lot of land on relatively low mountains which is under utilized.

Access to the tops of mountains which do not experience landslides could be accessed by fleets of autonomous drones, carrying people and goods.

Chinese companies have already developed autonomous drones capable of ferrying goods and people safely and efficiently.

It is no longer necessary to build on flood plains.

 "....people kinda buy there"

This crazy practice of building houses in danger zones is mainly why most of Japan's rivers are concreted. Proper zoning would have preserved much of the nature that the cement industry has obliterated.

You know what, most prefectures and cities already publish maps showing flood prone areas and if you are a home owner you can get those from city hall really easy, but the thing is the land is cheaper in those areas and more affordable so people kinda buy there because they see it as an affordable risk . Untill the river actually floods once every 100 years or so, like those big tsunamis, but after 100 years or so people no longer remember or care and so theres money to be made in that low lying land and people sell n buy it again and so the cycle continues once more.

This years rain felt like a non stop typhoon, it's just a reminder of what coming in the future.

Get ready for more like this unless we start respecting nature and stop warming the globe.

Dan, the banks did not break. They overflowed. That means some kind of water flowing in that river. Interpret as you like.

Damn, again?

We’re about to be hit by the first storm of the season here for Florida.

No one has mentioned the overly wet rainy season and the connection to global warming( heating).

Sadly, people who own the valuable agricultural land on a flood plain, and lose everything in a flood, usually do not get enough compensation to rebuild anything higher than a one-storey (story) house there.

The general theory is that if you do have the cash, it would be best to rebuild with a car port on the ground floor and at least two more storeys (stories) above.

This is why Japan should be at the forefront of drone development in order to allow people to access 80% of their (at present) inaccessible land!

Sorry, how would drones help??

Pretty much anywhere in Japan flat enough to build is potentially subject to flooding either regularly or in extreme cases. So housing and infrastructure should be built so as to cope with it. Natural passive mitigation (not pouring concrete) can mitigate the effects.

@simon g

Mountainous country, bugger all other options.

Sounds like you've never seen Okura from Google maps. Lots of flat land away from the rivers, mostly farmland or forests. The buildings are densely packed together and hugging the riverbank.

To prevent future flooding of homes and essential structures, flood plain and levels should be marked on area maps.  Planning officials can then determine where it is safe to build.

Jeff Lee

Maybe they shouldn't build houses alongside the river.

Mountainous country, bugger all other options. Rivers make plains which is where farming occurs. Build on a mountains and landslides are a constant threat. Where do you suggest?

japanese government should spend money on them instead of mask distribution.

Terrible for those affected, Japan needs to be preparing for more flooding and disasters as it it doesnt already.

But Tokyo could be sadly suffering badly if those big rivers are unable to cope with the typhoons or heavy rains.

The rainy season ended in Kyushu yesterday, so hopefully by early next week the rainy season should clear the country. What an absolute drenching it's been this last 7 weeks.

This is why Japan should be at the forefront of drone development in order to allow people to access 80% of their (at present) inaccessible land!

So sad, will pray for those peoples,,, good if the rain pour in Tokyo..

Maybe they shouldn't build houses alongside the river.

As far as I can see none of the rivers did actually burst their banks. The banks held, but overflowed in several places, I think. The difference is not at first obvious, but to engineers they are very different processes, necessitating different solutions into the future.

Either way, terrible for the people flooded out.