Overview

• Kumamoto Prefecture said on Aug. 18 that torrential rains on Aug. 10–11 caused at least 13 billion yen in agriculture, forestry and fisheries losses in a preliminary tally.
• Most of the damage involves slope failures on farm roads and sediment outflows in forest areas, and officials expect the total to rise once crop losses are fully assessed.
• As of Aug. 18, confirmed impacts include 0.5 hectares of tomato and strawberry greenhouses inundated and 200 tatami-omote mats soaked.
• JA Group Kumamoto and allied organizations asked prefecture-elected lawmakers for an early severe-disaster designation and financial support for affected producers.
• On Aug. 19, the Japan Meteorological Agency forecast heavy rain across Tohoku and Hokkaido through Aug. 21—up to 120 mm in Tohoku and 80 mm in Hokkaido by 6 p.m. on Aug. 20, then 80 mm in Tohoku the following 24 hours—and urged vigilance for landslides, flooding, river rises, lightning and tornadoes.