Japan Urges 200,000 People to Evacuate Due to Heavy Rain

Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the risk posed by heavy rains because a warmer atmosphere holds more water. (AFP)
Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the risk posed by heavy rains because a warmer atmosphere holds more water. (AFP)
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Japan Urges 200,000 People to Evacuate Due to Heavy Rain

Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the risk posed by heavy rains because a warmer atmosphere holds more water. (AFP)
Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the risk posed by heavy rains because a warmer atmosphere holds more water. (AFP)

Nearly 200,000 people in western Japan were urged to evacuate on Saturday as authorities warned of landslides and floods, while the remnants of a tropical storm trickle over the country.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said "warm, moist air... was causing heavy rainfall with thunderstorms in western Japan" partly due to Kong-rey, which was downgraded to an extratropical low-pressure system from a typhoon.

The city of Matsuyama "issued the top-level warning, urging 189,552 residents in its 10 districts to evacuate and immediately secure safety", a city official told AFP.

While the evacuation was not mandatory, Japan's highest-level warning is typically issued when it is extremely likely that some kind of disaster has already occurred.

Forecasters warned that landslides and floods could affect western Japan on Saturday and eastern Japan on Sunday.

Due to rain, Shinkansen bullet trains were briefly suspended between Tokyo and southern Fukuoka region in the morning before resuming on a delayed schedule.

Kong-rey smashed into Taiwan on Thursday as one of the biggest storms to hit the island in decades.

It claimed at least three lives and injured 690 people, according to the National Fire Agency, which added a migrant worker death to the toll on Saturday.

The storm knocked out power to 957,061 households, 27,781 of which were still in the dark as of Saturday.

Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the risk posed by heavy rains because a warmer atmosphere holds more water.



Dwarf Bees Spotted in Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders Region

Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA
Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA
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Dwarf Bees Spotted in Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders Region

Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA
Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA

The Northern Borders region of Saudi Arabia has witnessed the emergence of the dwarf honey bee (Apis florea) in several locations in the city of Arar, with experts attributing it to the growing number of nature reserves and the resurgence of diverse native flora in the region, The Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday.

The dwarf bee, typically found alongside larger bee species like the giant honey bee and the eastern honey bee, constructs small, open-air combs no larger than a human palm. These combs yield a modest amount of honey, usually less than 500 grams, SPA said.
Despite their diminutive size, dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat, often thriving in temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. This unique characteristic sets them apart from other bee species and makes them well-suited to low-lying areas, the news agency added.