River Flood in Rain-Hit Northern Japan Cuts Off Dozens of Residents in Akita Prefecture

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:43 JST, August 21, 2025

Heavy rainfall hit the northern part of the Tohoku region, with record precipitation in Akita Prefecture causing flooding that cut off a community.

An inflow of warm, moist air along a front destabilized the atmosphere and brought torrential rain to Semboku in the prefecture on Wednesday. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, precipitation in the Hinokinai district of the city amounted to 260 millimeters in 24 hours to 7:30 p.m. on the day, the largest 24-hour amount ever recorded in August.

The overflowing Hinokinai River inundated a road leading to a community, leaving a total of 46 people in 20 households isolated. The local government has not confirmed any injuries due so far.