Typhoon Hagibis leaves 43 dead, 16 missing, 202 injured in Japan: NHK

  • 5 years ago
Typhoon Hagibis has reportedly left over 40 people dead after it hit Japan over the weekend.
It could also have a devastating impact on the environment,... as bags containing radioactive waste from the Fukushima nuclear disaster have drifted away.
Oh Jung-hee reports.
Tokyo continues to deal with the aftermath of Typhoon Hagibis, which hammered the country on Saturday, with local authorities stepping up their rescue and clearing work.
"When I came here yesterday, the water level here was above 1 meter and this place was like a sea. I thought this area wouldn't be able to function for a while."
"All four of my family are safe, but the cars and farm machinery are all destroyed."
Tokyo's public broadcaster NHK reports that the typhoon claimed 43 lives across the country, with 16 missing and over 200 injured by the storm.
Though numbers differ, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga laid out the government's tally as well at his daily briefing on Monday.
"Regarding the damage caused by the typhoon, the government is aware of 10 deaths. 19 deaths are still being investigated to determine whether they are directly related to the natural disaster. Five are showing no vital signs and seven missing."
South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a message of condolence and support to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Meanwhile, it appears that an unknown number of bags containing radioactive waste were lost... as the typhoon swept across Fukushima, home to the nuclear plant that had a meltdown following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Japanese media outlets say... the bags were carried to the nearby Furumichi River... which ultimately connects to the Pacific Ocean.
The city of Tamura in Fukushima Prefecture has retrieved ten bags from the river, but hasn't been able to confirm how many of over 2,600 bags kept in a temporary storage facility were lost.
The bags contain grass and wood collected from areas that were contaminated by high levels of radiation.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.

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