2021 Atami landslide

A landslide swept through the Izusan neighbourhood of Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on 3 July 2021 after torrential rainfall, killing 27 people and injuring 3. The city received 12.4 in of rainfall in a 48-hour period, which prompted authorities to warn residents of "life threatening" conditions. The landslide destroyed a number of houses and left roads covered with debris. Search and rescue operations were launched on 3 July, with local authorities reporting that they had received about ten phone calls from people trapped in their houses.

Background
Atami is a seaside city located approximately 68 miles from Tokyo, in the coastal prefecture of Shizuoka in the Chūbu region of Central Japan. Situated on the edge of the prefecture's mountain ranges, it is known for its steep valleys and hills. While Atami has been a popular resort town for centuries, it saw rapid growth during the mid-20th century, with development occurring inland.

One of Japan's defining characteristics in terms of weather is its rainy season in early summer, which spans from late May to early July. Prior to the landslide, there had been several days of continuous torrential rainfall in the vicinity of Atami. At the time of the incident, this rainfall was continuing to take place; approximately 790 mm of rainfall was measured at Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, while a measurement of 550 mm was gathered at Gotemba, Shizuoka.

Investigation
Investigations into the cause of the landslide are ongoing. Authorities are investigating suggestions by experts that improperly accumulated soil brought in for development purposes may have been partially responsible for the landslide.