Western Japan rain disaster 3 years after

Three years ago heavy rainfall triggered a natural disaster in western Japan that claimed the lives of 281 people in four prefectures. 

More than 1,000 survivors still live in temporary housing.

In July 2018, heavy rainfall caused the deaths of 150 people in Hiroshima Prefecture, 95 in Okayama, 33 in Ehime and three in Yamaguchi, including people who died afterward from disaster-related causes. 

Nine others remain unaccounted for.Prefectural governments say the people living in temporary housing as of the end of June numbered 732 in Okayama, 223 in Ehime, 93 in Hiroshima and five in Yamaguchi.

Reconstruction of their homes is progressing slowly because the safety of their communities has not been secured yet. 

Repair work on damaged roads and embankments in some areas has been delayed due to a shortage of construction workers.

Challenges remain for the restoration of heavily affected areas and the revival of local communities where society has been disrupted.