TOKYO -- The deadly flooding in western Japan has exposed deep problems with the nation's warnings-based disaster prevention system, exposing it as a poor substitute for physical flood control measures.
Warnings and evacuation orders not enough to prevent deaths

Emergency warnings and evacuation orders failed to coax many out of their homes before flooding swept much of western Japan.
TOKYO -- The deadly flooding in western Japan has exposed deep problems with the nation's warnings-based disaster prevention system, exposing it as a poor substitute for physical flood control measures.