Japan underpass flooding: 134 vehicles submerged in 10 years

A survey by Kyodo News has revealed that at least 134 vehicles have been submerged in underpasses across 33 prefectural capitals in Japan over the past decade. These incidents occurred at 80 different locations, highlighting the recurring danger of underpasses during heavy rainfall, such as the August floods in Chiba that resulted in two deaths.

In Kanazawa, specifically, four vehicles were submerged at two different underpass locations over the last 10 years. While all 24 underpasses in the city feature warning signs, only one is equipped with a physical barrier. To improve safety, Ishikawa Prefecture and Kanazawa City are implementing “air barriers”—inflatable devices that can be remotely operated to block traffic more quickly than traditional gates. Ishikawa Prefecture has approved a budget to install these in five locations, while Kanazawa City has already installed one and plans to add two more by the end of the year.