2 Still Missing in Aichi Pref. Mudslide; Evacuation Order Issued for Households Nearby (Update 1)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:48 JST, August 28, 2024 (updated at 16:20 JST)

GAMAGORI, Aichi — A mudslide down a hill in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, destroyed a house where there was a family of five inside shortly after 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to local authorities, including the fire department, two sisters in their 40s have been rescued from the house. On Wednesday rescuers found a woman in her 70s believed to be their mother. The woman is in cardiac arrest. Their father in his 70s and their brother in his 30s remained unaccounted for as of Wednesday afternoon.

The city set up a disaster control task force and asked the Self-Defense Forces for help in the rescue mission.

One of the rescued sisters, who called emergency services, was slightly injured. The other sister sustained more serious injuries, but she was conscious. The collapsed house was a two-story wooden structure. The five members of the family were reportedly all on the first floor when the mudslide hit. The SDF, fire department and police have been searching for the unaccounted-for family members using heavy machinery, but the operation has proved difficult, hampered by fallen trees and other obstacles.

The mudslide occurred in a hilly area dotted with houses about 2 kilometers north of Mikawashiotsu Station on the JR Tokaido Line. At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the city issued an evacuation order to 37 people in 14 households in the area near the house.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, 136.5 millimeters of rain fell in the 24 hours to 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday, which exceeded the average amount of rainfall for August.

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