Japan Couple Trapped On Their Roof During A Flood Refuses To Let Go Of Their Dogs

Aug 02, 2019 by apost team

An elderly couple has made headlines for their refusal to abandon their dogs during a flood.

Dramatic footage obtained from IBTimes UK shows the two senior citizens crouching on their roof as water rages around them.

The flood took place in Joso City, Japan, during the monsoon season of 2015. Unprecedented rains had caused everything from blackouts to landslides, and eventually, flood waters rose so high that the entire city was forced to evacuate. More than 90,000 residents were forced to abandon their homes, BBC News reports.

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You can see the devastation of the flood in the IBTimes UK video, which was filmed by helicopters as they searched for survivors. The water was almost as tall as the trees, and it had engulfed more than two-thirds of the elderly couple's home by the time that they were found.

They were huddled together on the roof with their dogs and a plastic bag filled with their most precious belongings.

When the helicopters reached them, however, they didn't immediately jump into the arms of their rescuers. They made sure that their dogs could come as well.

Fortunately, the rescuers were willing to save both humans and canines in need. They didn't have any safety harnesses that would fit dogs, so the couple simply clutched their pets as they were air-lifted off the roof.  It looks easy in the video, but in reality, it was quite dangerous. The line could've snapped; the couple could've accidentally dropped the dogs. There were many ways that this story could've had a tragic ending. 

This time, however, the tale is a feel-good one. Both of the senior citizens and their dogs made it onto the rescue chopper, and they were flown to safety without any further problems.

IBTimes UK uploaded the heartwarming video to YouTube. It currently has more than nine million views with hundreds of positive comments.

"Thank you so much for protecting the dogs all the way," said one commenter. "You guys are great owners." Others were full of praise for the video's military rescuers: "Actor's [sic] not a hero," said another. "Army man is real hero." 

Some were just shocked by the extent of the flood: 

"WOW. Look at the FORCE of that water!!! At anytime that house could have collapsed and washed them all away."

Watch the footage for yourself in the video below:

What do you think? Did the couple make the right decision by holding onto their dogs despite the odds? Would you have been able to make the same decision that they did? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to pass this along to your loved ones.