熊本くまもと 大雨おおあめで車くるまが浸水しんすい 救援きゅうえん要請ようせい3日間みっかかんで2785件にせんななひゃくはちじゅうごけん その時ときどうする？

Many cars have been submerged due to the record-breaking heavy rain in Kumamoto Prefecture, and the JAF Japan Automobile Federation Kumamoto branch has been receiving a series of rescue requests for vehicles that have stopped working.

In Kumamoto Prefecture, record-breaking heavy rain caused widespread flooding, and many vehicles, including private cars and taxis, were submerged.

According to the JAF Kumamoto branch, there have been 2,785 requests for assistance with vehicles that stopped working after being submerged in water in the prefecture over the three days up to the 13th.

For this reason, JAF has dispatched staff from places like Osaka and Hiroshima to provide support, and is responding by increasing the number of tow trucks compared to usual.

On the 14th, responses were being carried out in various areas from the morning, and at a house in Nishi Ward, Kumamoto City, two cars that had suffered flood damage were being towed to a repair shop.

Mr. Yasuhiro Hashi from the JAF Kansai Headquarters, who rushed to provide support, said, Staff from all over the country are continuously responding.

If you start the engine while there is water inside, it may cause a malfunction, so please contact us immediately, they said.

This is footage from a taxi’s dashboard camera carrying passengers, recorded around 2 a.m. on the 11th of this month near Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City.

Gradually, water started to accumulate on the road, and splashes were rising.

And after crossing the bridge and turning left at the intersection, you suddenly come to a place where the water level has risen.

I kept driving for a while even as the water rose up to the area near the hood, but eventually the car stopped moving and I got stranded.

Additionally, the footage taken inside the car showed water approaching the feet of the passengers in the back seat, as well as tense scenes such as the driver hurriedly jumping out of the vehicle.

This is the dashcam footage from another taxi.

Around 11:30 p.m. on the 10th of this month, I was driving around the Izumi area in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City.

Rain pounding on the windshield is making it hard to see ahead, and just after turning left at the intersection, you come upon a flooded area.

Right after the driver exclaimed yabai, the taxi splashed up a huge spray of water and got stuck.

According to this taxi company, seven taxis that were in operation were flooded due to the heavy rain, and several of them are expected to be scrapped.

I asked Mr. Soichiro Tani from the JAF Tokyo branch about the key points to watch out for.

If your car has been flooded, there is a possibility that water has entered the engine, and starting the engine immediately may cause it to break down.

In the case of hybrid vehicles or EVs electric vehicles, there is also a risk of some kind of malfunction occurring.

For this reason, it is important to call a professional to inspect the car before moving it, and if you have already driven the car, you should stop driving immediately if you notice anything unusual, such as strange noises.

Also, when inspecting your car by yourself, please make sure to properly insulate the battery to prevent any trouble caused by electrical leakage.

According to the General Insurance Association of Japan, even in cases where coverage is provided by automobile insurance, if a car is flooded due to disasters such as heavy rain, it is often covered under the optional automobile insurance that the owner subscribes to, depending on the extent of the damage.

On the other hand, depending on the scope of compensation, it may not be covered, so they are urging people to check with their insurance company.

Also, even if you don’t know which insurance company you contracted with, there’s a good chance you joined an insurance plan when you bought the car, so you may be able to find out by checking with the dealership where you purchased it.

In the subsequent procedures, it is helpful to take detailed photos of the condition of the car.