"I can’t shake off my anxiety because of the sound of the rain."
A 39-year-old woman from Kamagaya City in Chiba Prefecture, whose home was flooded during heavy rains in August, expressed her concerns as another typhoon approaches just a week later. Just as she was finishing repairs, including replacing tatami mats, Typhoon Dujuan (No. 25) approached, and now she must prepare for Typhoon Surigae (No. 26). Amid ongoing heavy rains and flooding, Tokyo has recorded 35 consecutive days of rain, setting a new record.
According to the Asahi Shimbun on September 30, the heavy rains in August resulted in 13 fatalities and damage to over 6,000 buildings in Chiba Prefecture. Last week, heavy rains from Typhoon Dujuan caused a landslide in Kamogawa City, claiming four more lives. As another typhoon approaches before recovery efforts are complete, residents' anxiety is growing.
The woman from Kamagaya City recalled checking the rain radar on her phone in the dark after her home was flooded and the power went out. The radar showed her neighborhood covered in red, indicating heavy rain. During the closest approach of Typhoon Dujuan on September 21, she avoided flooding but felt her heart race as she saw the red rain clouds approaching again, keeping her awake all night. "I can’t endure this any longer," she said.
In Sakae-machi, where the levee of Lake Inbanuma collapsed, local officials are visiting residents' homes to check on their health. In one home, a man in his 70s stared blankly at a flooded storage area filled with rice bags ready for harvest. Residents expressed concerns, saying, "Should we stop farming?" and "I feel like my motivation is being crushed."
An 83-year-old farmer in Narita City, who grows rice, lost his home and workshop to flooding, submerging his stored rice. He told Asahi, "Some of it has mold, so it’s hard to sell as a product. I’m shocked to lose my livelihood."
Masaomi Iyo, a professor of psychiatry at the International University of Health and Welfare, explained, "When stress compounds at a time when someone is trying to regain their strength after a setback, the impact can be greater." Symptoms such as palpitations, hyperventilation, and insomnia may arise, and prolonged stress can lead to loss of motivation or depression. He advised not to endure alone and to share feelings of fear and difficulty with others or local authorities.
As affected residents try to regain their daily lives, Typhoon Surigae (No. 26) is approaching. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, the typhoon is expected to come close to the Izu Islands, part of Tokyo, from the night of September 30 to the early morning of October 1. The southern Izu Islands could see up to 150 mm of rain within 24 hours by 6 a.m. on October 1. Chiba Prefecture may also experience heavy rain, prompting warnings by the morning of October 1.
According to Kyodo News, as of 9 a.m. on September 30, the typhoon was moving northeast over the southern sea of Japan, with a central pressure of 1000 hPa and maximum wind speeds of 18 m/s. After approaching the Izu Islands, its impact on Japan is expected to lessen. However, the Meteorological Agency warned that atmospheric instability could lead to landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and rising river levels in the Kanto region, including Tokyo, as well as in Yamanashi and Nagano Prefectures. They specifically cautioned that areas with weakened ground from prolonged rain are at high risk of disaster even with small amounts of rain.
Asahi reported a surge in sales of flood preparedness supplies. At a home goods store in Matsudo City, sales of emergency escape hammers, used to break car windows, increased 18-fold from early August to early September. This spike is attributed to incidents of people dying in cars during the heavy rains. At a home goods store in Ota City, about 75 flood barriers were sold over the course of a month starting in mid-August, more than ten times the sales during the same period last year. Remaining stock has sold out, leading to shortages.
Authorities are also rushing to repair levees to prevent further damage. Over 100 workers are working around the clock to build temporary levees at three sites around Lake Inbanuma, where levees collapsed in Sakae-machi and Narita City. The height of the levees reaches about 6 meters at the highest point. A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism official stated that about half of the construction is complete and they are working to finish the temporary levees before Typhoon Surigae approaches.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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