Japan: Thousands of Rescuers Deployed in Typhoon Clean-Up Efforts

Over 110 000 people are taking part in the current search and rescue operations across Japan after Typhoon Hagibis wreaked havoc throughout the country on Saturday, 12 October.

Typhoon Hagibis hit the Japanese mainland on Saturday afternoon, thrashing eight prefectures with record volumes of rain and gale-force winds, which resulted in thousands of homes being flooded or damaged.

Local authorities have reported that 20 people are missing, and at least 37 people have been killed.

The rescue crews are labouring through mudslides and near swollen rivers, searching for missing people and freeing those trapped under rubble in their flooded homes.

A warning of further mudslides was issued with more rain forecast for the region.

Experts warned that Hagibis had the same strength as a typhoon that struck the Tokyo region in 1958. Thanks to the modernisation of Japan’s infrastructure, however, the extent of the expected damage was largely limited.

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