【Disaster Prevention Topics㉕】Please Be Careful of Sudden Heavy Rain

In Japan, sudden heavy rain can occur from summer through autumn.
This kind of sudden, intense rain is called “shuchu gou-u” (concentrated torrential rain) or “gerira gou-u” (guerrilla rainstorm).
                  

Here are some important points to keep in mind during sudden heavy rain.

 

Sudden Heavy Rain Can Occur Even on Sunny Days

Sudden heavy rain often falls in the evening on sunny summer days.
Please be especially careful in the following situations.

(1) When dark clouds suddenly approach
(2) When you hear thunder
(3) When a sudden cold wind blows

If you’d like to learn more, please visit the following website.

Shiru Bosai (Learn About Disaster Prevention)  [Japan Weather Association] (Japanese only)

 

Also, if you see “cumulonimbus clouds,” be alert for sudden rain.
Cumulonimbus clouds are tall clouds that appear dark when viewed from below.

When a cumulonimbus cloud approaches, heavy rain falls. It can also cause lightning, tornadoes, and other severe weather.

If you’d like to learn more, please visit the following website.

What Are Cumulonimbus Clouds? [Japan Meteorological Agency] (Japanese only)

 

 

What to Do When Sudden Heavy Rain Occurs

(1) Move away from dangerous areas

When sudden heavy rain falls, river water levels rise and the current becomes faster.
Do not go near rivers or cliffs.
Water can also flow into underground areas. Do not walk through underground passages.

 

 

(2) Take shelter in a safe building

Lightning may strike. Winds can also become strong, and tornadoes may occur.

Please take shelter in a safe building.

 

 What to Do Before Sudden Heavy Rain Occurs

(1) Check the weather forecast before going out

Check the weather forecast before leaving home. If the forecast mentions phrases like “unstable atmospheric conditions” or “sudden thunderstorms,” please be cautious.
Heavy rain, lightning, or tornadoes may occur.
The following website provides heavy rain information in 14 languages.

Multilingual Information on Disaster Risk Reduction [Japan Meteorological Agency]

 

(2) Check the weather in your current location

The following website lets you track the movement of rain clouds.
You can also check information on lightning and tornadoes.

High-Resolution Precipitation Nowcast [Japan Meteorological Agency] (Japanese only)

 

Japan experiences frequent rain-related disasters. Please check the weather forecast carefully and think ahead about where to evacuate to.

 

For other rain-related terms, please see the following page.

The Words for Rain [Words Used in Weather Forecast News] | TIPS

You can also find information that is useful when other disasters, such as earthquakes or typhoons, occur, on the following page. 

Useful links for disaster information | TIPS