Japan sees nearly 50% surge in landslides in 10 years

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - Japan saw almost a 50% increase in landslides over the past decade, local media reported on Friday.

At least 1,500 landslides hit parts of Japan every year since 2010 which marked an average increase of almost 50% in the decade, said a government report cited by Kyodo news agency.

The country was hit by record 3,459 landslides which were triggered by torrential rains in western Japan. The situation was compounded when a major earthquake hit the country in northern Hokkaido region.

In the following year, Typhoon Hagibis and other torrential rainfall triggered 1,996 landslides.

The report – on Japan’s land, infrastructure and transport – was endorsed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet today.

It reflected the rise in torrential rains caused by global warming and called for restrictions on the “use of at-risk land and relocating residents to safer areas.”

The report showed the average number of landslides per year was 1,006 between 2000 and 2009, “but jumped 46.7% to 1,476 between 2010 and 2019.”

It was 1,027 landslides every year between 1990 and 1999.