The Stream, July 5, 2019: Japan Orders 1.1M People to Evacuate Amid Severe Rains

The Global Rundown

Japan orders one million people to evacuate as heavy rain brings landslides and flooding to Kyushu island. A dam break in western India kills 11 and leaves 13 missing. Lithuania declares a state of emergency due to drought. Recent rains bring drought relief to Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and much of Texas. Residents outside of drought-stricken Chennai, India, say the city is confiscating their water supply. 

“Private tankers have fitted more than eight bore wells in our village and are indiscriminately extracting thousands of liters of water every day.” -Villagers in Bangarampettai, India, which lies 20 miles outside of Chennai. All of Chennai’s major reservoirs have run dry, sending the city into crisis. The scenario has prompted an outcry among communities on the outskirts of Chennai, who say that private tankers are pumping their water and taking it into the city. Reuters

In context: Reservoirs in Parched Chennai, City of Millions, Are Dry. Can Better Forecasting Avert Future Crises?

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By The Numbers

1.1 million Residents ordered to evacuate from the southernmost island of Kyushu, Japan, due to flash flood and landslide risk. An additional 930,000 people were advised to evacuate their homes as torrential rains lash the region. Reuters

11 People killed when a dam burst in Maharashtra, India, following heavy monsoon rains. The disaster swept away dozens of homes and left an additional 13 people missing. Reuters

Science, Studies, and Reports

While heavy rainfall swamped the Midwestern United States this spring, it was largely welcomed in the country’s Southern Plains, where it eased long-standing drought conditions. The rains have alleviated two-plus years of dry conditions in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and most of Texas. Phys.org

On the Radar

Lithuania declared an “emergency situation” on Wednesday amid intense drought in the country. Dry conditions are causing river levels to plummet and crops to wilt. Farmers say they may lose up to 50 percent of their harvests. Phys.org  

Kayla Ritter

Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter