Heavy rains hit northern Japan in the first week of August, particularly August 4 and 5, causing widespread property damage and evacuations. The severe weather affected several prefectures: Shiga, Gifu, Ishikawa, Fukui, Niigata, Fukushima, Yamagata, Akita, Iwate, and Aomori.
In Fukui Prefecture the heavy rain caused rivers to overflow and cut off or reduced the water and electricity supply to several areas. One major rail bridge also collapsed.
The view from Nanyo Kawanishi. 
Bridge damage in Iide, Yamagata causes damage on the Yonesaka Line.
As of August 4 more than 100,000 people across five prefectures were issued orders to evacuate their homes.
In Fukui, hundreds of people were trapped in their homes due to a river flooding and had to be rescued by the Japan Self-Defense Force.
The Tsugaru line in Aomori and the Yonesaka Line in Yamagata saw some operations interrupted due to infrastructure damage.
Sekikawa City 
Minakami City
Murakami City in Niigata Prefecture saw floods, which caused vast damage to property, with rubble on the street and trees toppled over from the rush of water. Some houses were flooded with muddy water.
The rain is now moving North, and heavy rain is expected in Hokkaido from August 10 for about a week, as well as Northeastern Japan and Niigata.
Minamiechizen, Fukui Prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency is urging the population to be mindful of thunderstorms, heavy rain, strong wind, flooding and mudslides. As of this writing several areas in Aomori, among others, are still under landslide warning.
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Author: Arielle Busetto
Video editing by: Shaun Fernando
