Typhoon Hagibis struck Japan with unusual force and wind speeds last week. The storm produced heavy rainfall and flooding in many areas. The water caused landslides as well as floods that left people trapped on building tops. Newspapers and other media published images of bullet trains, known to Japanese as Shinkansen, that were flooded in Nagano, a mountainous area northwest of Tokyo. The pictures show the ability of natural disasters to slow down modern life. Experts say periods of calm can cause a false sense of security in a country inured to danger by the threat of earthquakes, tsunami and volcanos.
What does inured mean?
threat of danger
greater security
to be less affected
unusual force
Where were people trapped?
in their cars
on the bullet train
on building tops
out in the streets
Natural disasters can slow down modern life.
bullet trains
modern life
building tops
heavy rainfall