Heavy rain in southwestern Japan leaves at least 2 dead
People make their way on a flooded road in heavy rain in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture on Monday.
Torrential rain pounded parts of Japan's southwestern region Monday, leaving at least two people dead and eight others missing, local media reported.
A 77-year-old woman was killed in Soeda Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, when a landslide hit her home, and a man in his 70s rescued from an inundated truck in Hirokawa town, Fukuoka Prefecture was confirmed dead at the hospital, public broadcaster NHK reported Monday.
In Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, a landslide hit two houses. A woman was found by rescuers, but she showed no vital signs, while two men remain unaccounted for, Kyodo News reported, citing local authorities.
In the southwestern Japanese city of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, a mudslide caused by heavy rain engulfed at least seven houses, with rescuers failing to make contact with six people, according to Kyodo News.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued on Monday its highest rain alert level for the first time this year for neighboring Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, urging residents to take immediate measures to secure their safety.
As heavy precipitation is expected from western and eastern regions facing the Sea of Japan through Tuesday, the weather agency called for vigilance against landslides, flooding in low-lying areas and overflowing rivers.
