One week after the record-breaking heavy rainfall in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture, it has been revealed that the electric floodgates at the underground parking lot, where 274 cars were submerged, were malfunctioning.

This afternoon, cameras entered the flooded underground parking lot.

“This is the basement level 2, where the damage was most severe. The ground is still muddy and slippery. A car remains abandoned in the middle of the pathway.”

In the underground parking lot where 274 cars were submerged, water rushed into the area due to the record-breaking rainfall of 123.5 mm per hour that hit Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture, last Friday night.

Why did the damage spread so extensively? One contributing factor appears to be…

“At Kusunoki Parking, the electric floodgates at two vehicle entrances were reportedly malfunctioning.”

The underground parking lot has three vehicle entrances, each equipped with electric “floodgates” to prevent rainwater from entering. However, it has been revealed that two of the three floodgates had been broken since before the heavy rain.

Additionally, according to the parking lot management company, the floodgate at the pedestrian entrance could not be installed in time due to the sudden and intense rainfall.

As a result, the basement level 2 was completely flooded. The basement level 1 was also submerged under 1.2 meters of water, and drainage efforts took four full days.

Yokkaichi City

Yokkaichi is a major industrial port city in Mie Prefecture, Japan, which grew significantly during the Edo period as a post town on the Tōkaidō road. In the 20th century, it became a central hub for heavy industry and petrochemical production, though this also led to severe air pollution issues in the 1960s that became a landmark case for environmental regulation in Japan.

Mie Prefecture

Mie Prefecture is a region in central Japan historically known as the home of the Ise Grand Shrine, one of Shinto’s most sacred sites dating back to the 3rd century. It is also famous for its traditional pearl cultivation industry in Ise Bay, pioneered by Mikimoto Kōkichi in the late 19th century. The prefecture boasts significant natural attractions, including portions of Yoshino-Kumano National Park.

Kusunoki Parking

I am unable to provide a summary for “Kusunoki Parking” as it does not appear to be a recognized cultural site or place of historical significance. It is likely a local or minor location, such as a standard parking area, for which no notable history is documented.