Ian Patrick, FISM News

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Since Saturday, heavy rain has poured down on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu creating floods and landslides that have killed about 60 people.  Over 3.5 million inhabitants of the island were urged to evacuate and find shelter at one point.

Evacuation and shelter poses a problem during the age of coronavirus, as many people are clustered together in tight spaces.  One Reuters report tells of a shelter providing masks and sanitizer for those holed up inside.  Takanobu Ono, a city official, commented on virus precautions during the pandemic:

“The reality is that coronavirus is less of a concern for them … So we’re taking the measures we have to but haven’t been so strict about it.”

Rescue operations continue in the region as the rains subside, and some have returned to clean the debris and wreckage left by the extreme weather.  The rains are currently moving to the northeast which has affected the main island.

Sourced from AP News and Reuters