Mass Evacuation Orders Issued for 2.65 Million Residents in Aichi, Mie, and Gifu Prefectures

Record-breaking rainfall struck the Tokai region of Japan, prompting local authorities to issue evacuation orders for a total of 1.32 million households comprising 2.65 million people across Aichi, Mie, and Gifu prefectures, according to regional disaster management reports.

The severe downpours brought widespread disruption to public infrastructure and daily life. Public transportation networks suffered significant delays and suspensions, leaving numerous commuters stranded at major transit hubs. On the roadways, rising floodwaters trapped vehicles in multiple locations, requiring emergency responses to assist drivers and passengers caught in the deluge.

Emergency services also responded to secondary incidents caused by the severe weather, including reports of injured cyclists navigating hazardous conditions. In urban areas affected by the overflow, water levels reached knee-high depths along several main thoroughfares, submerging intersections and complicating rescue operations for municipal workers.

Local governments across Aichi, Mie, and Gifu prefectures opened designated evacuation shelters to house residents displaced by the rising water. Municipal officials urged residents in low-lying areas and near swollen riverbanks to heed evacuation orders promptly as meteorological agencies warned of continued heavy precipitation across the region.