Masanori Hiramoto stood before his traditional home in the Hiroshima Prefecture town of Mihara, speechless at the destruction caused by record rains that have killed dozens of people. "I have lived here all my life. I have never seen anything like this," he said, standing in shock before
Masanori Hiramoto stood before his traditional home in the Hiroshima Prefecture town of Mihara, speechless at the destruction caused by record rains that have killed dozens of people.
« I have lived here all my life. I have never seen anything like this, » he said, standing in shock before the house in where he and his wife raised their three daughters, all now adults.
Hiramoto was one of around 60 evacuees from Hongo district, who ventured back to their homes on Sunday, two days after fleeing when authorities issued evacuation orders.
More than two million people across parts of central and western Japan have been issued similar orders, but they are not mandatory and many of those who defied the instructions have found themselves caught up in flash floods and landslides.
The government said Sunday that at least 88 people had been killed in days of record rains, but the toll was expected to rise further.
As Hiramoto inspected his ravaged home, it became clear that his decision to evacuate was the right one. Most houses in his small rice-farming community stand on elevated ground above rice fields, but surging water swallowed fields and homes alike, including Hiramoto’s.
