Five days have passed since wildfires erupted in Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan.
The fires continue to rage in Ofunato City. Prefectural officials say about 2,100 hectares of land had been burned as of 6 a.m. on Monday.
An NHK crew on a helicopter took footage of the city's Akasakicho Sotoguchi district on Monday afternoon, where the damage is severe. It showed the frameworks of destroyed buildings and flames rising from some structures. White smoke was seen to rise from mountain forests in several locations.
In the Sanrikucho Ryori district, east of Akasakicho, flames and clouds of smoke were spreading in the mountain forest surrounding the community on the coast. They appeared to be moving toward a residential area.
Firefighting operations will continue overnight.
Ofunato City has issued evacuation orders to wide areas. As of 11 a.m. on Monday, 1,202 people had taken shelter in 12 facilities.
Weather officials say dry air is expected to continue in Ofunato on Tuesday, but snow should start falling from early Wednesday and gradually turn into rain from around noon.
They also say the rain will likely continue through Thursday morning and peak on Wednesday night.
The fires continue to rage in Ofunato City. Prefectural officials say about 2,100 hectares of land had been burned as of 6 a.m. on Monday.
An NHK crew on a helicopter took footage of the city's Akasakicho Sotoguchi district on Monday afternoon, where the damage is severe. It showed the frameworks of destroyed buildings and flames rising from some structures. White smoke was seen to rise from mountain forests in several locations.
In the Sanrikucho Ryori district, east of Akasakicho, flames and clouds of smoke were spreading in the mountain forest surrounding the community on the coast. They appeared to be moving toward a residential area.
Firefighting operations will continue overnight.
Ofunato City has issued evacuation orders to wide areas. As of 11 a.m. on Monday, 1,202 people had taken shelter in 12 facilities.
Weather officials say dry air is expected to continue in Ofunato on Tuesday, but snow should start falling from early Wednesday and gradually turn into rain from around noon.
They also say the rain will likely continue through Thursday morning and peak on Wednesday night.
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Summary
Wildfires in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, have been burning for five days, with particular intensity in Ofunato City. As of Monday morning, approximately 2,100 hectares had been affected. The Akasakicho Sotoguchi district and Sanrikucho Ryori area are severely damaged, with fires spreading towards
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ID: 1b1dd37c-6f23-4961-a7f9-73f2b1eef1b3
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250303_09/
Date: March 3, 2025
Created: 2025/03/04 07:00
Updated: 2025/12/08 05:51
Last Read: 2025/03/04 09:14