According to edition.cnn.com, several helicopters were seen rescuing people from supermarket roofs while others were still stranded in their own homes. The flood was said to be caused by the lingering rainy season and after a section of a levee broke last Friday morning, which contains the Shibui River.
An estimate of 100 buildings were flooded prompting the residents to call for aid and emergency services. The flood affected almost a thousand citizens living in the area and more than 700 Osaka residents were evacuated in shelters. The heavy flooding have already caused three deaths, almost two dozen missing persons and washed away houses that forced its tenants to wait for rescue on their roofs.
Friday morning had given the people a chance to seek for shelter as clear weather welcomed the victims. The water had visibly receded but many roads were still impassable. Motorists who tried to cross the flooded streets were forced to abandon their vehicles.
In a report by bbc.com, Takuya Deshimaru, chief forecaster at the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), said that the rainfall was unexpected. He also added, "We can say this is an abnormal situation and there is imminent serious danger."
The bursting of Kinugawa River surprised the experts and the areas that it affected. Japan's Self- Defense Force was the major rescuers of the victims and the government was concerned that the storms for the past few years were getting stronger in which they have to prepare their country for.
Japan's Meteorological Agency has put Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures on highest alert as these places were the most affected by the flood. One of the victims, Saori Mori, said that "the water is right up to the top of the banks now. We have been told to pack and prepare to evacuate as soon as we are told to."
