By KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) - Helicopters plucked dozens of
residents from the tops of their homes in Japan on Thursday, but rescue
officials said they were unable to keep up with all the pleas for help
after raging floodwaters swamped parts of a city north of Tokyo.
As heavy rain pummeled Japan for a second straight
day, the Kinugawa River broke through a flood berm, sending a wall of
water into Joso, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Japan's
capital.
National broadcaster NHK showed aerial footage of
rescuers lowered from helicopters and clambering onto second-floor
balconies to reach stranded residents. There were no immediate reports
of deaths or injuries.
In one dramatic scene, the rescuer could be seen
descending four times from a military helicopter over a 20-minute period
to lift up four people one-by-one, as a deluge of water swept around
their home.
Nearby a man clung to a utility pole as the waters
rose, before being taken up by a rescuer who had to be first lowered
into the water so he could make his way over to the man.
Others waved cloths from their decks or roofs to
get attention as torrents of water washed away cars and knocked
buildings off their foundations. Photos from Japan's Kyodo news service
showed people waiting for help on top of cars and a 7-11 delivery truck,
surrounded by water that nearly submerged the cars.
Kyodo reported that 39 people had been rescued by
Japan's Self-Defense Forces, as its military is called, and rescue work
was continuing.
Akira Motokawa, a city evacuation official, told NHK that rescuers have been unable to respond to the volume of calls for help.
The Transport Ministry estimated that 6,900
households have been affected by the flooding, Kyodo said, adding only
about 2,500 of the city's residents had been evacuated beforehand to
shelters. The floodwaters reached at least 8 kilometers (5 miles) from
the breach.
Tokyo was drenched with rain, but the hardest-hit
area was to the north in Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures. One woman was
missing hours after a landslide hit houses at the foot of a steep,
wooded incline. Bullet train service was partially suspended.
The rains came on the heels of Tropical Storm Etau,
which caused similar flooding and landslides Wednesday as it crossed
central Japan.
The Fire and Disaster and Management Agency said 15
people were injured by Etau, two seriously, both elderly women who were
knocked over by strong winds.
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