Typhoon No. 25 a month on: 15 dead in Chiba and Kanagawa, rail and roads still cut
In short
A month after record heavy rain from Typhoon No. 25, 15 people are dead in Chiba (10) and Kanagawa (5) prefectures, most caught in landslides. Train suspensions and road closures continue in Chiba, and some residents are still evacuated.
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Fifteen people died in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures in Typhoon No. 25, which brought record heavy rain. On 21 October, one month after the rain, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Nikkei reported that the effects are prolonged. Tokyo Shimbun's headline said the same. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Ten of the dead were in Chiba and five in Kanagawa, and most were caught in landslides. Across the two prefectures, 5 people were seriously injured and 36 slightly injured. [ 1 , 3 ]
In Chiba, train suspensions and road closures continue, and some residents are still forced to evacuate. On the JR Uchibo Line, sediment flowed onto the track. The section between Anegasaki (Ichihara) and Nagaura (Sodegaura) is still closed, and restoration is expected to take another two months. Replacement buses run and shared bicycles are lent free of charge, but journeys take longer. Nishi-Nippon Shimbun said they take considerably longer. [ 1 , 3 ]
Nikkei reported that on prefecture-managed national and prefectural roads, 133 sections were fully closed at one point because of road collapses and fallen trees. In 10 cities and towns, 28 sections suffered large-scale collapses, and Nikkei said some may take more than six months to restore. [ 3 ]
Nikkei also reported that 4,400 households lost running water at one point and up to 58,000 households lost power. Water has been restored, but power cuts continue in some areas. In northern Chiba, two embankments of Lake Inba were breached. Water overflowed widely and flooded houses and rice paddies. [ 3 ]
Yomiuri Shimbun's one-month piece, published on 22 October, was headlined that sediment remains and daily life has not returned. Only its headline was available. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The outlets describe effects that are lasting: a rail section on the JR Uchibo Line is expected to need two more months to reopen, and some road repairs may take more than six months. Some residents are still unable to return home.
Key facts
- Typhoon No. 25 left 15 people dead in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures: 10 in Chiba and 5 in Kanagawa, most of them caught in landslides. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Across the two prefectures, 5 people were seriously injured and 36 slightly injured. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The JR Uchibo Line is still suspended between Anegasaki (Ichihara) and Nagaura (Sodegaura), and restoration is expected to take at least two more months. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Nikkei reported that 133 sections of prefecture-managed national and prefectural roads were fully closed at one point. [ 3 ]
- Nikkei reported that 4,400 households lost running water at one point and up to 58,000 households lost power; water has been restored but power cuts continue in some areas. [ 3 ]
- Two embankments of Lake Inba in northern Chiba were breached, flooding houses and rice paddies, Nikkei reported. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Nothing is confirmed by two independent outlets yet.
Still unclear
- How many residents are still evacuated. The documents say some residents are still forced to evacuate but give no number.
- When power will be fully restored. Nikkei says outages continue in some areas but gives no date or number of households still affected.
- How long road repairs will take. Only Nikkei says some of the 28 heavily damaged sections may take more than six months; it gives no overall schedule.
- The death toll is 15 (10 in Chiba, 5 in Kanagawa), most of them caught in landslides, with 5 seriously and 36 slightly injured. Reported by a single source so far
- The Uchibo Line between Anegasaki and Nagaura remains closed and is expected to take two more months to restore. Reported by a single source so far
- A month after the record heavy rain, train suspensions and road closures continue in Chiba and some residents are still evacuated. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Nishi-Nippon Shimbun publishes its one-month report on 21 October. [ 1 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun publishes a headline saying 15 died and effects are prolonged. [ 2 ]
- Nikkei publishes its one-month report on 21 October, with road, water and power figures. [ 3 ]
- Yomiuri Shimbun publishes a one-month piece on 22 October, saying sediment remains and daily life has not returned. [ 4 ]