Increase in Natural Disasters in Japan; Flood Death Toll Reaches 200

A spokesperson for the Japanese government said on Thursday that the country is facing more natural and weather-related disasters and must find ways to reduce their toll. At the same time, concerns about the outbreak of diseases among flood and landslide victims have increased due to extreme heat and a shortage of drinking water. According to Reuters, the torrential rains in western Japan represent the most severe natural disaster in the country in the past 36 years, resulting in 200 fatalities so far. Overall, the frequency of such natural disasters has increased in recent years, raising more questions about the impacts of global warming. Similar natural disasters last year resulted in dozens of deaths. Yoshihide Suga, Japan's Cabinet Minister, stated at a press conference, "It is an undeniable fact that the occurrence of such disasters has increased due to torrential rains in recent years." He emphasized that preserving human life is the government's most important duty and added, "We acknowledge that we must take actions to reduce the toll of such natural disasters." He did not provide details on these actions. A week after the severe floods and landslides that left thousands of families homeless, over 200,000 homes still lack drinking water and electricity. Given the temperature of 34 degrees and high humidity, life in stadiums, schools, and other temporary shelters for victims is becoming increasingly difficult. Television reports show that daily life is particularly challenging for many of these individuals, especially the elderly. There are very few fans and air conditioning units in these shelters, and people are using paper fans to cool themselves. Reuters reports that due to the lack of drinking water, people are not drinking enough fluids. One victim told NHK television, "Without water, we cannot wash or clean anything." The government is sending water tankers to the area, but the amount of water reaching the victims is insufficient. In the severely affected Mabi neighborhood of Kurashiki, residents are still using piped water to clean mud from their homes. Many refrigerators, washing machines, and other household appliances damaged by the floods are now piled up throughout the city. Some residents whose homes are uninhabitable have spent several nights in an elementary school that serves as a temporary shelter. One of them said, "My wife and I are alone, and we have no relatives here. We cannot move heavy objects and are in desperate need of volunteer help." Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised on Thursday during a visit to Kurashiki that he would quickly provide the necessary assistance. He is scheduled to visit two other severely affected areas in the coming days. Over 70,000 military personnel, police, and firefighters are participating in rescue operations and searching for victims' bodies. Rescue teams are using various tools to clear areas affected by landslides and continue searching through damaged and destroyed homes.