大雨の北陸

(Mainichi Japan) July 28, 2008

Evacuation order issued for 20,000 households as heavy rain pounds Hokuriku region

大雨：北陸で川はんらん…金沢、２万世帯に一時避難指示

 

KANAZAWA -- Heavy rain pounded the Hokuriku region on Monday morning, flooding a river here and prompting city officials to issue a temporary evacuation order for 20,000 households.

Part of the Asano River in Kanazawa running through an urban area overflowed its banks at about 8 a.m. on Monday, causing flooding above floor level in some households. In the city of Toyama, meanwhile, a car got caught in a landslide, injuring one person.

Officials at the Kanazawa Local Meteorological Observatory said that in one area along the upper reaches of the Asano River, 60 millimeters of rain was recorded over a period of just one hour starting from 5:50 a.m. on Monday. The city of Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture was also hit by heavy rain, recording 58 millimeters of rain over a one-hour period from 3:20 a.m.

While there were no immediate reports of injuries, homes were flooded and officials from the Ishikawa Prefectural Government and the Kanazawa Municipal Government are working to determine the extent of the damage.

The heavy rain disrupted transportation, resulting in the suspension of one Thunderbird express train on the Nanao Line between Wakura-Onsen and Kanazawa stations. Regular trains between Matto and Kanazawa stations were also suspended. Meanwhile, six areas on roads in Kanazawa were temporarily blocked off due to flooding.

Other areas to be heavily hit by rain included Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture, which recorded a record rainfall of 75 millimeters in the one-hour period ending at 7:30 a.m. on Monday.

While the rain passed its peak on Monday morning, meteorological officials continued to warn of landslides, rising river levels and flooding. Rain was expected to continue until Tuesday.

Localized downpours have increased in recent years. Meteorological Agency officials said that if temperatures continued to warm, moisture in the atmosphere would increase, bringing more rain.

"There is a tendency for rain to fall locally in areas where the temperature has risen due to the 'heat island' phenomenon, mainly in large cities," an agency official said.

 

words and phrases:

pound=激しくたたく

households=所帯、家庭

urban area=市街地

flooding above floor level=床上浸水

upper reaches=上流部

immediate report=速報

determine=決める、決定する、調査して明らかにする

extent of the damage=被害の程度、広がり

suspension=停止、保留

blocked off=遮断される、寸断される、交通不能になる

due to flood=洪水のため

warn=警告する

landslides=土砂崩壊、土砂崩れ、がけ崩れ

localized downpours=局所的な集中豪雨

tendency=傾向、～しがちな

locally in areas=局所的に

 

北陸地方は２８日朝、能登半島付近に停滞する前線に湿った空気が吹き込んだ影響で、局地的な大雨に見舞われた。石川県金沢市では午前８時ごろ、市街地を流れる浅野川が一部ではんらん。広い範囲で床上・床下浸水などの被害があり、市は午前中に一時、２万世帯約５万人を対象に避難指示を出した。富山市内でも乗用車が土砂崩れに巻き込まれ、男性１人が重傷を負った。

金沢地方気象台によると、浅野川上流の医王山（いおうぜん）付近で、午前５時５０分からの１時間に６０ミリの雨量を観測。金沢市内１０カ所で水が堤防を越えて市街地にあふれ出し、冠水で金沢市内の道路６カ所が一時通行止めになった。けが人などの情報は入っていないが、石川県や金沢市が被害状況の把握を急いでいる。

石川県羽咋市でも同３時２０分から１時間で５８ミリの集中豪雨となり、ＪＲ北陸、七尾線は正午現在、サンダーバードなど特急１１本、普通電車２１本が運休している。

気象庁によると、午前１０時までの２４時間に医王山で１４０ミリ、富山県・五箇山で１７０ミリを観測した。五箇山では午前７時半までの１時間に観測史上最高の７５ミリを記録。前線が南下したため午前中に雨のピークは過ぎたが、各地の気象台は土砂災害や河川の増水、浸水などの危険があるとして注意を呼びかけている。

夏の太平洋高気圧の勢力が比較的弱く、前線が発達しやすい状態にあり、雨は２９日まで続く見通し。

（毎日新聞　2008年7月28日　11時45分（最終更新　7月28日　13時05分）