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| Death toll increases as record rains devastate parts of Japan | Death toll increases as record rains devastate parts of Japan |
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| Heavy rainfall is hammering southern Japan for a third day, prompting new disaster warnings on Kyushu and Shikoku islands as local media report the death toll has risen to 76 with 92 people missing. | |
| The Japan Meteorological Agency says three hours of rainfall in one area in Kochi prefecture reached an accumulated 26.3cm (10.4 inches), the highest since such records started in 1976. | The Japan Meteorological Agency says three hours of rainfall in one area in Kochi prefecture reached an accumulated 26.3cm (10.4 inches), the highest since such records started in 1976. |
| The official toll includes one person killed last week, when the typhoon system that brought the heavy rains first made landfall in Japan, but most of the deaths have been reported in the last few days. | The official toll includes one person killed last week, when the typhoon system that brought the heavy rains first made landfall in Japan, but most of the deaths have been reported in the last few days. |
| The rain, which has been worst in western parts of the country, has completely blanketed some villages, forcing desperate residents to take shelter on their rooftops with flood water swirling below as they waited for rescue. | The rain, which has been worst in western parts of the country, has completely blanketed some villages, forcing desperate residents to take shelter on their rooftops with flood water swirling below as they waited for rescue. |
| The torrential downpours have caused flash flooding and landslides, and prompted authorities to order the evacuation of two million people. | The torrential downpours have caused flash flooding and landslides, and prompted authorities to order the evacuation of two million people. |
| Hundreds have been injured and dozens of homes have been completely destroyed in the downpours. | Hundreds have been injured and dozens of homes have been completely destroyed in the downpours. |
| “We are carrying out rescue operations around the clock,” Yoshihide Fujitani, a disaster management official in Hiroshima prefecture, said. | “We are carrying out rescue operations around the clock,” Yoshihide Fujitani, a disaster management official in Hiroshima prefecture, said. |
| “We are also looking after evacuees and restoring lifeline infrastructure like water and gas,” he added. “We are doing our best.” | “We are also looking after evacuees and restoring lifeline infrastructure like water and gas,” he added. “We are doing our best.” |
| A government official said a special crisis cell had been created to respond to the disaster and would hold a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday morning. | A government official said a special crisis cell had been created to respond to the disaster and would hold a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday morning. |
| On Saturday, Abe warned at an emergency government meeting that “the situation is extremely serious” and ordered his government to “make an all-out effort” to rescue those affected. | On Saturday, Abe warned at an emergency government meeting that “the situation is extremely serious” and ordered his government to “make an all-out effort” to rescue those affected. |
| Tens of thousands of rescue workers, police and military personnel have been mobilised to respond to the disaster, and the meteorological agency has issued its highest level warning for affected areas. | Tens of thousands of rescue workers, police and military personnel have been mobilised to respond to the disaster, and the meteorological agency has issued its highest level warning for affected areas. |
| Flooding has engulfed entire villages, submerging streets up to roof level. In some places, just the top of traffic lights could be seen above the rising waters. | Flooding has engulfed entire villages, submerging streets up to roof level. In some places, just the top of traffic lights could be seen above the rising waters. |
| “My house was simply washed away and completely destroyed,” Toshihide Takigawa, a 35-year-old employee at a gas station in Hiroshima, told the Nikkei daily on Saturday. | “My house was simply washed away and completely destroyed,” Toshihide Takigawa, a 35-year-old employee at a gas station in Hiroshima, told the Nikkei daily on Saturday. |
| “I was in a car and massive floods of water gushed towards me from the front and back and then engulfed the road. I was just able to escape, but I was terrified,” 62-year-old Yuzo Hori told the Mainichi Shimbun daily in Hiroshima. | “I was in a car and massive floods of water gushed towards me from the front and back and then engulfed the road. I was just able to escape, but I was terrified,” 62-year-old Yuzo Hori told the Mainichi Shimbun daily in Hiroshima. |
| In some place, with the flooding making roads impassable, rescuers were using boats or helicopters to airlift those affected to safety. | In some place, with the flooding making roads impassable, rescuers were using boats or helicopters to airlift those affected to safety. |
| Several major manufacturers, including carmakers Daihatsu and Mitsubishi, said they had suspended operations at plants in the affected areas. | Several major manufacturers, including carmakers Daihatsu and Mitsubishi, said they had suspended operations at plants in the affected areas. |
| The disaster is the deadliest rain-related crisis in Japan since 2014, when at least 74 people were killed in landslides caused by torrential downpours in the Hiroshima region. | The disaster is the deadliest rain-related crisis in Japan since 2014, when at least 74 people were killed in landslides caused by torrential downpours in the Hiroshima region. |
| Agence France-Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report | Agence France-Presse and Associated Press contributed to this report |
| Japan | Japan |
| Natural disasters and extreme weather | Natural disasters and extreme weather |
| Japan | Japan |
| (Weather) | (Weather) |
| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| Asia | Asia |
| news | news |
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