Heavy rains hammer southern Japan; death toll climbs to 76
Heavy rainfall hammered southern Japan for the third day, prompting new disaster warnings on Kyushu and Shikoku islands today, as the government put the death toll at 48 with 28 others presumed dead. Japanese Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said whereabouts of 92 people are unknown. Over 100 reports of casualties had been received, he said, adding around 40 helicopters were out on rescue missions.
Rescue teams are doing their utmost, says PM Shinzo Abe
"Rescue efforts are a battle with time," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, adding the rescue teams are doing their utmost. Japan Meteorological Agency said three hours of rainfall in one area in Kochi prefecture reached an accumulated 26.3cm, the highest since such records started in 1976. The assessment of casualties has been difficult because of the widespread area affected by the rainfall, flooding, landslides.
Japanese Government has set up emergency office for earthquake crisis
The Japanese Government set up an emergency office, designed for crises such as major earthquakes. A residential area in Okayama prefecture, on the main island of Honshu, was seeped in brown water spreading like a huge lake. Some people fled to rooftops and balconies and waved furiously at hovering rescue helicopters. Military paddle boats were also being used to take people to dry land.
Advisories issued to more than 910,000 people in Okayama prefecture
The Okayama prefecture said three people had died, six others were missing and seven were injured, while nearly 500 were flooded. Evacuation orders or advisories were issued to more than 910,000 people, it said. Throughout the hard-hit areas, rivers swelled and parked cars sat in pools of water. Japan has sent troops, firefighters, police, and other disaster relief.
