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2011-05-22 03:01:35 - Flash Flood - Japan

EDIS Code: FF-20110522-30833-JPN
Date&Time: 2011-05-22 03:01:35 [UTC]
Continent: Asia
Country: Japan
State/Prov.: Prefecture of Miyagi,
Location: ,
City: Ishinomaki

Damage level: Moderate (Level 2)

Not confirmed information!
Event location map
Description:

Flooding has been a regular occurrence in some neighborhoods in Ishinomaki recently, but it has nothing to do with torrential rains--high tides now inundate land that was sunk by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The seawater floods have forced residents to leave their homes and a local primary school to change its schedule so children would not be stranded at school by the rising waters. In one area of the city, waters were about one meter deep during the spring tides. Kazunori Akiyama wore fishing waders and walked through knee-deep water to pick up a parcel from a customer in the Shiotomicho district of the city. Carrying the box on his shoulder, the 38-year-old delivery company employee said, "The water's unavoidable during deliveries at this hour. I have to be careful with people's packages to keep them dry." According to the city government, some areas sank by as much as 78 centimeters due to the disaster. About 300 households in Shiotomicho, Mangokucho and other districts now flood regularly. Residents have asked the city government to provide sandbags to protect their homes. Mangokuura Primary School has had to be flexible to make sure its 417 students are able to make it home before high tides block off roads. Kids are let out three hours before high tide, meaning school sometimes ends as early as 1 p.m. Floods have also hindered ambulances trying to respond to emergencies in the city. Ishinomaki Mayor Hiroshi Kameyama went to the Miyagi prefectural office Wednesday to ask for emergency aid to cope with the flooding during high tides. The prefectural government decided to erect a temporary embankment and set up drainage pumps along the coast in two districts by early June. But a city government official warned, "When the rainy season comes, there could be some major flooding when the rains combine with high tides."