Authorities say there have been no casualties in South Africa's Kruger National Park despite the recent spate of flooding which has hit the region, with accurate forecasting and effective preventative measures also ensuring no animals have come to harm.
South Africa's National Disaster Management Center declared a national disaster on Sunday as heavy rains and flooding continued to batter northern parts of the country.
According to local media reports, continuous rainfall since late December has caused severe flooding in the northeastern Limpopo Province, where at least 17 people, including two children, have died.
The flooding has forced the partial closure of the Kruger National Park, one of Africa's largest wildlife reserves, with more than 600 visitors being evacuated after rising waters inundated access roads and campsites.
Willie Aucamp, South Africa's Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, said that the precautionary measures taken at the site ensured there were no reports of any casualties or any injuries around the park.
He added that the wider economic losses caused by the floods are still being assessed but said the national park has announced the establishment of a relief fund for disaster reconstruction and emergency expenditures.
South African officials have stated that the scope and intensity of this round of floods are similar to the historic flooding of the year 2000, which caused widespread damage and also hit neighboring Mozambique hard.
However, staff at the Kruger National Park say that improved technology and management capabilities has strengthened the park's flood response mechanisms compared to the past, with drones, satellite imagery, and real-time monitoring systems enabling them to assess risks earlier and take action in advance.
"The animals had moved days before the rain even started. So all our animals are fine. They're intact. We have not seen any carcass of animals that are dead. So people must know that the animals are fine and they're doing very well," said Reynold Thakhuli, the park's general manger of public relations, media and stakeholder relations.
Staff say that these technologies are also being used to good effect in anti-poaching operations and play a particularly important role in the protection of endangered species such as rhinos.
No casualties after flooding hits South Africa's Kruger National Park
The Japanese society should do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression and adhere to the pacifist constitution, said Shiradori Hiroshi, a professor of the Hosei University, in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Tokyo on April 30.
He said the government's recent move to discuss revising the three security documents deserve particular attention as the country's foreign and security policies have already witnessed major changes.
"People outside of the country hold that Japan's post-war image as a 'peace state' is now facing a major shift. Against the backdrop of tremendous changes in its foreign and security policies, the revision of the three security documents deserves particular attention. There lacks public debate in terms of the procedure, with policy changes decided unilaterally at Cabinet meetings. It is necessary to fully explain to the public as to whether such a practice is proper," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government held its first expert panel meeting to discuss revisions to the three security documents at the Prime Minister's Office on April 27, local media reported.
Japan's current National Security Strategy and two related documents, formulated in 2022, were designed to cover the next 10 years, but the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has decided to move up the timetable to accelerate the revision process.
Increasing defense spending is one of the key topics of the meeting, according to Kyodo News.
Hiroshi said this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, or Tokyo Trials, and the Japanese society must do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression in WWII, when it brought enormous catastrophes on Asian countries.
"Eighty years have passed since the opening of the Tokyo Trials. Japan inflicted enormous suffering on Asian countries during WWII, which should serve as an opportunity for the soul-searching. It is exact on the basis of countless sacrifices that Japan's post-war pacifism and its identity as a 'peace state' took shape. On this 80th anniversary, it is necessary for Japan to re-examine and do soul-searching regarding its history," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government's effort to revise the pacifist constitution is widely opposed by the public.
On Sunday, around 50,000 people gathered at Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, chanting slogans and holding banners against the government's push for constitutional revision and military expansion, the largest turnout of its kind in recent years.
Japan should adhere to pacifist constitution: scholar
