One feared dead, others missing as heavy rain hits south-western Japan

TOKYO – At least one person is feared dead and others are missing in south-western Japan on Aug 11 as torrential rains batter the region, triggering floods and landslides, according to local authorities and rescuers.

The Japan Meteorological Agency had issued a special heavy rain warning for parts of Kumamoto prefecture, but downgraded it to a heavy rain warning in the afternoon, while still urging residents in the affected areas to remain alert.

A man who was evacuating with his family went missing after their car was swept away by a landslide in Kosa, Kumamoto prefecture.

His wife and two children were rescued, while local police said they are confirming the identity of a man who was later found nearby with no vital signs.

There were also reports of people being swept away and landslides washing away houses and cars in the prefecture and neighbouring Fukuoka prefecture.

A man in his 60s was rescued from a collapsed house in Misato, Kumamoto, and taken to the hospital, according to local firefighters.

In Fukutsu, Fukuoka, two people in their 60s were swept away by a river on the afternoon of Aug 10, and rescue operations are ongoing, according to local authorities.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters on the morning of May 11 that his government is “committed to implementing disaster response measures”. He also urged residents to remain vigilant.

Train operator JR Kyushu, which serves south-western Japan, said it suspended all bullet train services from the start of operations in the morning but resumed them in the afternoon.

The weather agency has been warning of extreme rainfall in Kumamoto and Nagasaki prefectures as a rainband stretching across the Japanese archipelago has inundated wide areas of the country.

Tamana in Kumamoto recorded 370 millimeters of rainfall in six hours through early on Aug 11, nearly double the city’s average precipitation for all of August, according to the weather agency. KYODO NEWS