OSAKA -- A prolonged drought in western Japan that forced local authorities to order a reduction in water taken from Lake Biwa appears to have ended, but officials warn that water levels are still low.
With the arrival of heavy rain related to a typhoon early last week, water levels began to rise. Lake Biwa, which was down by nearly 1 meter, rose 6 cm after heavy rain hit the Kansai region Monday, meteorology officials said.
The rains came just a few days after officials decided to reduce water usage by anywhere between 5 percent and 10 percent. It had been an unusually dry summer throughout Kansai, especially Kyoto, which went 35 days straight without rainfall until Sept. 6.