It is also raining heavily now in
Kyushu.
Record-Breaking Rain in Kagoshima — Flood Damage Leaves Longtime Residents Homeless
(Super J Channel, August 9, 2025)
On August 8, Kagoshima Prefecture was hit by record-breaking rainfall, causing houses to collapse and leaving one woman missing. By the morning of the 9th, the area affected by the rain had expanded.
Flood Damage — A Longtime Home Lost
On the 9th, some parts of Kyushu experienced the heaviest rainfall of the year.
In Nagasaki City, as much as 48.0 mm of rain fell in a single hour. The river water turned a muddy brown, and rainwater was seen cascading rapidly down stairways.
Kagoshima Prefecture experienced particularly severe rainfall. A linear rainband formed, causing extensive damage in various areas.
In Kirishima City, Kagoshima, houses suffered flood damage, with water levels reaching above floor level.
On August 8, the nearby Amorigawa River overflowed, sending water surging into residential areas.
Resident: "(Q: Did the water come up to here?) I suppose so — I had already evacuated."
The home she had lived in for many years was left covered in mud.
Resident: "(Q: How long had you lived here?) About 60 years. I don't think I can live here anymore."
(Q: You mean you can't live here again?) "I don't think so."
The damage also reached a hot spring town associated with
Saigō Takamori.
Inn employee: "You can see the mark. The water came up to nearly two meters."
Photos from that time show floodwaters reaching just below the inn's signboard.
Although the water later receded, the damage was devastating.
Inn employee: "We've drained the baths, but the pipes are probably clogged with mud and nothing flows."
Mud had poured into the bathing areas, and staff were still struggling to grasp the extent of the damage.
Inn employee: "Hmm… there's really nothing we can do. I'm at a loss for words that it turned out this way."
Transportation was also affected.
According to JR Kyushu, some local train services have been suspended.
In Aira City, Kagoshima Prefecture, a hillside collapsed, sending earth and debris into homes.
Police and firefighters are continuing desperate rescue operations.
Two women were rescued from one house, but a woman in her 30s remains missing.