Japan: Torrential rains leave dozens dead
Rescuers in Japan are searching for survivors after heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides in the country's west. More than 100 people are reported dead, and many more are missing.
Widespread flooding
At least 100 people have died or are presumed dead, with dozens still missing, after torrential rains pummeled wide areas of western Japan. "We've never experienced this kind of rain before," an official at the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) told media.
Search for survivors
Rescue workers have spent the past few days digging through mud and debris, searching for signs of life in flood-damaged homes. More than 70,000 emergency workers, including soldiers and police, have been deployed to assist in the mission. "It has been three days... It's possible that survivors will be found, but as the days pass the likelihood becomes slimmer," a soldier at the scene told AFP.
'Race against time'
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the situation "extremely serious" and ordered his government to "make an all-out effort" to rescue victims. "It's a race against time," Abe told ministers on Sunday morning. "There are still many people who have been unaccounted for. Some people have been isolated, calling for rescue."
Stranded
In the hard-hit city of Kurashiki, about 670 kilometers (415 miles) from Tokyo, residents fled to their rooftops to wait for help. Around 700 helicopters were deployed to fly over submerged areas to look for survivors.
Evacuations
At the height of the flooding, Japanese authorities ordered more than 2.3 million people, and advised 2 million others, to evacuate their homes. Despite the warnings, many people opted to stay at home, becoming trapped by flash flooding or sudden landslides.
Stopped in its tracks
Critical infrastructure has also been hit, including railway tracks and power lines. Nearly 13,000 customers had no electricity, utility companies said Monday. Hundreds of thousands of people were also without water.
Crisis at home
Local media reported that Prime Minister Abe was expected to visit areas worst affected by flash flooding in the coming days. Reports said he had called off a foreign trip this week to Belgium, France, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as a result of the disaster.