Japan deploys rescuers after deadly floods
July 9, 2017At least 18 people have been killed and 27 people were missing or unreachable amid severe flooding in southwestern Japan, officials said on Sunday. Five people were in critical condition, and more than 500 people remained cut off from their communities, according to Japan's public broadcaster NHK.
Around 1,900 police officers and soldiers were using heavy machinery to remove debris and clear the roads. Local residents also took part in the clean-up effort.
"Considering the feelings of those whose families are missing, I want a rescue as soon as possible," said Kiyoharu Kawano of the Ground Self-Defense Force, which is Japan's de-facto army.
Thousands have already been evacuated since the rainfall started on Wednesday, with flash floods causing bridges to collapse and destroying roads and houses. Authorities are housing people in school gyms and public buildings across the areas of Fukuoka and neighboring Oita on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.
Japan's meteorological agency said more heavy rain was expected on the island on Monday. Weather experts also warned of yielding ground.
The government was doing its "utmost" to recover the survivors, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a weekend press conference.
dj/tj (Reuters, AFP, AP)