Heavy rains have caused devastating flooding and mudslides in southwest Japan, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and leaving at least six others missing. The torrential downpour has been battering the regions of Kyushu and Chugoku since the weekend, leading to overflowing rivers, road closures, disrupted train services, and water supply disruptions.
The Japan Meteorological Agency promptly issued an emergency heavy rain warning for Fukuoka and Oita prefectures in Kyushu. Residents residing near rivers and hillsides were urged to exercise extreme caution, and over 1.7mn people in vulnerable areas were advised to seek shelter immediately.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno assured the public that the government has established a task force and is prioritizing search and rescue efforts. He emphasized that the preservation of human lives remains the foremost concern.
The reports from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and prefectural officials indicate that two fatalities have been confirmed, and six individuals are still unaccounted for. In Yamaguchi prefecture, a man was discovered deceased inside a vehicle that had been swept away by a swollen river. In Soeda, Fukuoka prefecture, two people were trapped beneath a mudslide. One person was successfully rescued, but unfortunately, the other was found lifeless and later declared dead.
The city of Karatsu in Saga prefecture is also facing a dire situation, as rescue teams continue their search for three individuals whose houses were engulfed by a mudslide. NHK television aired distressing footage revealing one of the destroyed houses reduced to nothing more than a roof sitting on muddy terrain, surrounded by floodwater.
Elsewhere in the region, three additional individuals are reported missing, further exacerbating the gravity of the situation.
NHK television further broadcasted images of the Yamakuni River in Oita prefecture, overflowing with muddy water, surging over a bridge in the town of Yabakei.
As the heavy rains persist, rescue operations and disaster management measures are ongoing in the affected areas. The government and local authorities are working diligently to minimize further loss of life and provide aid and support to those affected by the devastating floods and mudslides.
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