1993 Kagoshima Heavy Rain
1993 Kagoshima Heavy Rain means a series of heavy torrential rains which hit Kagoshima, Japan with debris flow in the early part of August, 1993. The formal name in Japanese was 平成5年8月豪雨, or August 1993 Heavy Rain. The death toll was 71, but about 2,500 people who were either in 1200 cars or busses, including those on the trains and inhabitants were saved by fishing boats and ferrys which carried them to Kagoshima through the Sakurajima Bay.
General descriptions
1993 Kagoshima Heavy Rain includes torrential rains which fell between July 31 and August 6 in Kagoshima Prefecture according to the Japan Meteological Agency. The former heavy rain fell in the Aira district on August 1 and the latter on August 6 in the center of Kagoshima Prefecture.
Weather in 1993
- The 1993 Japanese rainy season, East Asian rainy season was long since the rainy season front stayed in Japan because of a high pressure area in the Pacific Ocean was weak, marking a cold summer. Japan Meteorological Agency once declared the end of the rainy season, but it was cancelled. Toward the end of July, 3 typhoons landed, of them, two on Kyushu. In August, Typhoon No. 7 came close to Kyushu, and toward the end of August, Typhoon No. 11 approached toward Kanto area and later landed on Hokkaido. The typhoons which landed in Japan numbered 6, the maximum number at that time. The summer was cold and the lowered production of rice led to the rice riots in Heisei era.
Weather in Kyushu
- The total rain amounted to 1000 mm in southern Kyushu including Kagoshima Prefecture, causing landslides or floods. On July 9, the end of the rainy season was once declared in the southern parts of Kyushu, but later it was cancelled. The rainy front went southward, resuming the rainy season. On July 27, Typhoon No. 5 passed west of Kyushu and landed in Nagasaki Prefecture. Between July 27 and 30, the rain amounted between 100 mm and 300 mm in southern Kyushu. The long rainy season softened the land, rich in volcanic ash.
- On August 1, torrential rain in Aira district reached 104 mm an hour at Mizobe, 405 mm in one day. The death toll reached 23 persons in the central parts of Kagoshima Prefecture. National Highway No.10, Kyushu Expressway Motorway and Japan Railway railroads were completely out of service. The buildings of Sakurajima Service Area were destroyed.
- On August 6, Kagoshima city was badly hit with 99.8 mm /hour rain(at Kohriyamacho). 48 persons were killed and one was missing. Among the 5 stone bridges built in the Edo era on Kohtsuki River, two were destroyed.
Damage
- The damage by debris flow on August 6, was extraordinarily great. In the Ryugamizu area, where mountains were close to the sea, and highways and railroads are situated, 22 debris flows occurred and 1200 motorcars could not move and passengers were isolated. 2500 people, including passengers in the cars, busses, trains and inhabitants were saved by fishing boats and ferrys which carried them to Kagoshima city through the Sakurajima Bay. This condition was featured in television programs.
Shirasu-Daichi
- It is to be noted that Kagoshima Prefecture is rich in Shirasu-Daichi or land rich in volcanic ash. It is a broad pyroclastic plateau in southern Japan. It covers almost whole southern Kyūshū, which was formed by pyroclastic flows. It may cause sudden depressions, landslides and damage, with rain.
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