Floods in Japan killed 24 -- Death toll may rise as thousands still trapped

TOKYO, Japan (Sun, Jul 15) – At least 24 people have reportedly been perished and hundreds of thousands have been suffering following flooding and landslides caused by record rainfall in the southern island of Kyushu in Japan.

Floods in Japan killed 24 -- Death toll may rise as thousands still trapped

 The unprecedented rainfall that started Wednesday flooded at least 2,800 homes, according to public broadcaster NHK.

 Evacuation orders were issued to 40,000 people in Kyushu on Saturday alone while thousands are already forced to stay in evacuation centers.

Japanese troops are airlifting supplies to thousands of people trapped in mountainous areas, cut off by floods, in Yame, Fukuoka prefecture in northern Kyushu Island.

 

At least 8 people were reported missing on Friday. Japan Self-Defense Force soldiers searched for missing people among destroyed houses following the landslide in affected districts.

According to BBC; search and rescue teams are concentrating their operation on the north-west of the island, where some 5,000 people are trapped after roads were swept away.

In Fukuoka prefecture alone, about 190,000 people from 65,000 households were issued the order, with the entire area of the cities of Yanagawa, Yame and Miyama to be evacuated.

Report Tags: Japan, Japan Floods, Kyushu Island, Heavy Rainfall, Record Rainfall, Japan Self-Defense Force, BBC, Fukuoka prefecture