The following major natural disasters have struck Japan between mid-June and mid-September.
1. An earthquake occurred on June 18, centered in the northern part of Osaka, with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Japan Meteorological Agency’s (JMA) Seismic Intensity Scale. Over 40,000 homes were damaged; 285 structures were destroyed; and 5 people were killed.
2. Major flooding took place between June 28 and July 8 in several sections of western Japan due to heavy rains caused by the effects of Typhoon No. 7, which was given the international name of Prapiroon. Floods also extended northward as far as Hokkaido. The heavy rains caused numerous landslides, which in addition to the flooding resulted in severe damage to many homes and the deaths of over 200 people.
3. Typhoon No. 21 came ashore on Sept. 4 in Shikoku as a major typhoon called “Jebi” in the international press, then crossed over Honshu and out into the Sea of Japan along Hokuriku on Sept. 5. It also continued up the western side of Hokkaido with strong winds and heavy rains, leaving a trail of destruction. Kansai International Airport in Osaka was forced to close due to flooding and damage to the bridge connecting it to the mainland. Over 2 million people were issued an evacuation advisory, and 9 people lost their lives.
4. A major earthquake on Sept. 6 struck the Iburi region in Hokkaido, with a magnitude of 7 on the JMA’s Seismic Intensity Scale. Occurring so shortly after the typhoon passed by Hokkaido, the resulting widespread landslides swallowed up many homes, killed 41 people, and caused the entire island to loose electric power due to the failure of a major electric power plant. As these events have occurred while this issue of KNL was being prepared, further details will be reported in the next issue. (Tr. TB)
6月半ばから、日本各地で続いた大規模な自然災害を報告する。
＊6月18日に大坂北部地震が起きた。マグネニュードMj6.1 最大震度６弱。５名が亡くなり、建物の全半壊は合わせて285軒。損傷を受けた家は四万軒を超した。
＊6月28日から7月8日にかけて、台風7号の影響により、西日本を中心に、北海道にまで及ぶ豪雨となり、大きな水害(複数）をもたらした。河川の氾濫や、土砂災害、そして家屋への甚大な被害である。死者は200名を越えた。
＊9月に入ると、台風２１号が大きな規模のまま、4日から5日にかけて、四国と本州に上陸し、北陸地方を通過して海に抜けた。しかし、北上して北海道を襲い、豪雨と暴風が、全国各地に並みならぬ爪痕を残した。大阪の関西国際空港は、滑走路の殆どが水に沈んだ。9名が命を落とし、約２００万人に避難勧告が出された。
＊さらに北海道では、台風が去った翌日の6日未明に、南部の胆振（いぶり）地方を中心に、最大震度７の地震が起こった。山が崩れて人家を呑み込み、発電所の故障により、全道で停電する結果となった。この号の編集は、その最中であったため、詳細は次号に譲ることになろう。」
