Sept. 1 — the day the Great Kanto Earthquake hit 95 years ago and killed more than 100,000 people, mainly in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture — is Disaster Prevention Day. A year before this day was designated as such in 1960, the Ise Bay Typhoon that hit central Japan left more than 5,000 casualties. The powerful earthquake that hit northern Osaka Prefecture this June reminded us that temblors can hit this quake-prone country anytime, anywhere. The downpours that hit broad areas of western Japan in July, which left more than 200 people dead or missing, came as yet another warning against the more frequent and expanding damage from extreme weather conditions linked to climate change. We must learn from these disasters and constantly update our preparedness against major disasters.

In the western Japan downpours, widespread areas from Kyushu to Kansai were hit by torrential downpours and suffered massive landslides and floods. But while the total precipitation reached record levels in many locations, most of the damage from mudslides took place at sites where such dangers had been identified.

In the Mabicho district of Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, a major portion of the town was flooded — up to 5 meters deep — after rivers surrounding the district breached their embankments, leaving more than 50 residents drowned. But the area and extent of the flooding were roughly the same as had been warned in a hazard map created by the city.