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Heavy rain causes floods; sends tainted water from Fukushima plant into sea

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one of the rainiest summers i've ever experienced in japan (15 years and counting). hoping for clear skies for a while and stay safe, everyone.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

If you think this is the rainiest summer in Japan, you haven't been in Japan long enough. When it comes to the weather, Japan is the UK of Asia, Korea is the Germany/Sweden of Asia and China is the Russia/Turkey of Asia. Japan is an island nation and, as such, experiences high rainfalls compared to their continental neighbors. This is one of the rainier years in Japan, but not really atypical. I've seen far rainier weather in the past decade.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

I haven't seen rain like this in many years.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

WesternerJapan87 - It really depends on where you live in Japan.

Not sure about rainiest summer, but a quick look on the JMA website says there has only been one time (2007) since 1957 that there was more rain in July for our area. August was only slightly above average. In the past 20 years there have only been three occasions when there was more rain in September... and it we're only 10 days into the month. At this rate, we are in record rainfall territory for the month of September for this area (Shizuoka).

7 ( +8 / -1 )

WesternerJapan87: "This is one of the rainier years in Japan, but not really atypical. I've seen far rainier weather in the past decade."

Wrong. During the rainy season this kind of weather is not atypical, but to have had not even this much rain during the rainy season but well after it and into September now is very atypical. It has rained EVERY day without exception for some time, albeit off and on, with the weather forecast saying, without fail at the end of each prediction, that "the atmosphere is unstable so we may be wrong". And wrong they have been. I hung laundry out for the first time in about three weeks (had to do coin laundry twice) last night because today in Osaka was supposed to be sunny -- until a couple hours after I left when I got a heavy rain and thunder alert and my clothes a free shower.

In any case, be careful, people. Even with minor flooding there are often many accidents. And as for TEPCO, I'm sure they are losing no sleep over tonnes of water spilling into the ocean -- after all, they were planning to release a bunch anyway. I have no doubt they saw this as a chance to let some loose. Regardless, it's further proof of how dangerous and harmful nuclear power and its effects are on the environment.

For the woman who is missing, I hope they find her, but given that her husband was rescued in a mudslide, it doesn't sound hopeful.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

The torrential downpour has also exacerbated a contaminated water problem at the Fukushima nuclear plant as it overwhelmed the site’s drainage pumps, a spokesman for operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said. Hundreds of tons of contaminated water have flowed into the ocean, he added.

Nice how that was just sort of slipped in there. Sort of like "yeah, a bunch of rain, some rivers flooded, a bunch of radioactive water flowed into the ocean, people's laundry got wet"....

Brilliant, just brilliant....

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Heavy rain causes floods; sends tainted water from Fukushima plant into sea. But Abe says under control and the government says it's perfectly safe?

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Fukushima is really a sorry statement about the government's ability to protect and serve its people.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

It's the wettest august in Tokyo in the 9 years i've been here i'm sure. I only had to water the plants outside twice the whole month, normally it would be every three days.

In 24 hours ending 6am today, It's the most rain they've had in Kanuma, Tochigi since records began there in 1976. 444 millimetres compared to the previous record of 212 millimetres set in july 2002..

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is one of the rainier years in Japan, but not really atypical. I've seen far rainier weather in the past decade.

Not in Japan, you haven't. I've been here far longer than I'm going to admit and I have never, ever seen anything like the past few days. Two months' worth of rain in two days is not 'typical'.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Why is anyone surprised by the rains? There is far more moisture in the atmosphere because of climate change, which is also altering global weather patterns. With el nino now occurring, expect the new abnormal this fall and winter.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Gogogo, last year the storm that hit over north hiroshima causing the landslides and deaths was the strongest thunderstorm I have ever seen here in my 11 years. So yes, strange weather IMO. And this summer has been one of the best as well with 20c nights

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The torrential downpour has also exacerbated a contaminated water problem at the Fukushima nuclear plant as it overwhelmed the site’s drainage pumps, a spokesman for operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said. Hundreds of tons of contaminated water have flowed into the ocean, he added.

But Abe did say it was under control, no?

What? It was a blatant lie? Stupid me.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

knowing TEPCO , they just let the water drain (if they are in containers) just blame it on the rain

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Smith makes a good point - TEPCO are probably maikng the most of this weather to get rid of a huge quantity of polluted water. Then when the cancers starts coming in a couple of years it will all be a mystery.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

What seemed like just another mild typhoon has ended up being a wide-scale disaster. Multiple people missing, nuclear radiation-contaminated water tainting the land in Fukushima and the sea, as well as landslides and floods. Perhaps it's a problem with the drainage system? I'm fearing a lot of this radiation-contaminated water will end up in the water system. And what's up with Fukushima? I thought TEPCO had it "under control". More reasons for Japan to shut down its recently restarted nuclear power plant once again.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

The torrential downpour has also exacerbated a contaminated water problem at the Fukushima nuclear plant as it overwhelmed the site’s drainage pumps, a spokesman for operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said. Hundreds of tons of contaminated water have flowed into the ocean, he added.

But, I distinctly remember Abe saying, "It's under control!" when he made his presentation to plead for the Olympics. Is it possible he was lying, because this doesn't seem to be 'under control'.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government was on high alert. “The government will stand united and do its best to deal with the disaster…

Oh that's OK then. We can all relax.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Times like this I really regret having an apartment without a place for a dryer. I can only hang so many wet clothes inside before it starts to smell mildew-ey and I have a toddler so I've got way too many dirty clothes.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I just had a look at the footage on NHK and wow those towns look like they were hit by a tsunami, reminiscent of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake & tsunami. This monster El Nino will persist for a whole year well into the end of 2016. Island countries in and around the Pacific Ocean like Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines will be disproportionately affected. It may be best for these residents to relocate to evacuate to Tokyo. The Japanese government should set up temporary shelters with adequate clothing and food for the affected people rather than focusing on Abenomics and business profits. In real terms, wages have decreased, the Japanese middle class is shrinking, all the while a large proportion of the Japanese population is suffering from an environmental disaster. However, I think we all know what direction Abe will continue on.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

As for TEPCO, they will certainly let the water drain, no matter the future pain, and blame it on the rain

5 ( +6 / -1 )

"Desperate residents waved towels at rescuers as they stood on second-floor balconies waiting for help.

“Please continue to ask for help. Please do not give up hope,” an NHK broadcaster said in an apparent message to helpless residents."

I hope the SDF and emergency rescue services can handle this.

And after all this rain and clouds, even if it gets hot, I'd like to see the sun again...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

WesternerJapan87: "I just had a look at the footage on NHK and wow those towns look like they were hit by a tsunami, reminiscent of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake & tsunami. This monster El Nino will persist for a whole year well into the end of 2016. Island countries in and around the Pacific Ocean like Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines will be disproportionately affected."

Dude, didn't you JUST finish saying the weather was "not atypical"?

"The Japanese government should set up temporary shelters with adequate clothing and food for the affected people rather than focusing on Abenomics and business profits. However, I think we all know what direction Abe will continue on."

You're bang on there, though.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@Disillusioned:

"But, I distinctly remember Abe saying, "It's under control!" when he made his presentation to plead for the Olympics. Is it possible he was lying, because this doesn't seem to be 'under control'." "the censor kings are also under control"

Many of you nailed it!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Just checked another news link: http://news.yahoo.com/floods-spark-evacuations-japan-deluged-050016959.html This is could be very serious.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

There's another typhoon right behind it too folks

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I would be interesting to know to what percent of the radionuclides from the melted-down Fukushima reactors are 1) still on site 2) elsewhere on land in Tohoku 3) in the sea off Tohoku. When radionuclides are removed from roof tiles and roads are they stored on land or "washed" through gesuido into the sea?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I think Abe meant "..the government will stand united and put its highest priority to save Tepco and other company's profits from being eroded...as for the Japanese people? Acceptable casualties..."

Yup thats what he REALLY meant.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

WesternerJapan87SEP. 10, 2015 - 05:39PM JST I'm fearing a lot of this radiation-contaminated water will end up in the water system.

I would say you don't have cause to worry until someone with one of the many commercially-available dosimeters starts finding spikes in the water table. Dai Ichi is so close to the sea it strains credibility to think all that water would somehow move uphill onto the land to seep into the water table rather than moving as water usually does, downhill and toward the sea.

But if any fishing has resumed off the coast of Fukushima, it might be a good time to scrutinize seafood packaging again.

And yeah, anyone who says this weather is normal doesn't know what they're talking about. This year was one of the mildest I've ever seen until about mid summer it got brutally hot, we got weekly typhoons, and now the rain just won't stop. I was looking forward to the fall harvest because my suupaa's vegetables are getting a bit manky but I wonder how good it's going to end up being.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Slightly off topic but im due to fly to shinjuku on 14th sept can someone tell me what the flooding etc is like there and any info I need to know of where not venture too. Rather worried as i was going to travel through the whole of japan sight seeing. Thanks

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Does any body have one of those 100 yen umbrellas thats lasted more than 10 seconds?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Smith has a point. I watch the weather pretty closely. This year has been weird to say the least. I remember the year without a summer over a decade ago. I never remember a year without a rainy season. This was it.

I live in Tohoku. In our area, we usually have sunny/dry through May, becoming increasingly hotter until the rainy season starts in early July or thereabouts. It continues for about a month. Then the rains stop and the heat gets turned way up through August, with cooling late in the month and the occasional typhoon through September.

Got that? So Clear> Rain> Hot > Rain.

This year it was Clear> Hot > Rain.

In our area, we got perhaps one light rain all summer up through August 10. Since August 10 we have had about one clear day. And this rain we had yesterday is the strongest rain I remember... maybe in the last two decades. Someone called it a 50 year storm. I can believe that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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