🌊 Level 5 Flood Warning: Shonai River

❓ What is happening?

On September 8, 2026, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a Level 5 Flood Special Warning for the Shonai River, which flows through Aichi and Gifu prefectures. This is the highest stage of the flood forecast issued for designated major rivers, and it corresponds to Level 5 on Japan's five-step warning scale. In the flood-hazard areas along the river, it is extremely likely that some form of disaster is already under way. The key point is that Level 5 is not a signal to start evacuating. Levels up to 4 are the window for leaving home for a shelter; once Level 5 is announced, heading outside to a shelter can already be too late. JMA states that if evacuating to a designated shelter would itself be dangerous, you should secure your safety where you are — for example by moving to a higher place that is less likely to flood. This warning came at night, so anyone who does move must check their surroundings carefully. Flood forecasts of this kind cover major rivers managed by the national government or the prefectures, and are designed to be used together with the evacuation information your city, town or village issues. You can check the danger level at your exact location on the "Kikikuru" real-time hazard map on the JMA website.

👥 Who is affected?

• ●Anyone living or staying in the Shonai River basin in Aichi and Gifu, including parts of Nagoya
• ●People whose home is near the river, inside a designated flood-hazard area, or in a basement / semi-basement room
• ●Business travelers and tourists in the Tokai region who do not know where the local shelters are
• ●Foreign residents and visitors who are not familiar with Japanese disaster terms such as "special warning" and "warning level"

🌏 Impact on foreign residents and visitors

Japanese disaster terminology is one of the hardest things for foreign residents to decode. "Warning" and "special warning," or "evacuation order" and "emergency safety measures," sound similar but call for completely different actions. When a number is attached, as with this Level 5 announcement, you can act on the number alone without waiting for a translation: up to Level 4 means leave, Level 5 means protect your life where you are. Tourists and business travelers around Nagoya may face the night without knowing the hazard map or the nearest shelter. If you are inside a hotel or an office building, moving to an upper floor can be safer than forcing your way outside. Shelters can be used regardless of nationality or residence status. The JMA website has "ENGLISH" and "Other Languages" links, and Kikikuru shows danger levels as colors on a map, so you can judge the situation at your location even if you cannot read Japanese.