Japan braces for dual typhoons as 1 in 5 face flooding risk, study reveals

Two typhoons are bearing down on Japan even as the search continues for 10 people missing after record rainfall and widespread destruction on the north coast, with climate experts warning that extreme weather events are becoming increasingly commonplace.

The trend is particularly concerning given that 20 per cent of the Japanese population – about 26 million people – live in low-lying coastal areas or near major rivers at risk of flooding.

A study published on Tuesday by the Asahi newspaper revealed that the number of residents living in flood-prone areas has surged by about 900,000 over the past two decades, even as Japan’s overall population declined by nearly 1.6 million during the same period.

Experts attribute the worsening weather patterns to global warming, but they also highlight that much of the resulting damage stems from the inadequate management of Japan’s rural areas. Tragically, at least some of storm-related deaths can be traced back to a public failure to heed warnings.