Continuing the discussion from Japan's daily COVID-19 cases top 20,000 for 2nd straight day:
Authorities in Hiroshima and the northern part of Kyushu issued their highest evacuation alert as the weather agency reported unprecedented levels of rain in the area on Saturday.
Under the non-compulsory alert, about 1.4 million residents have been asked to leave their homes immediately, public broadcaster NHK reported.
TV footage showed rescuers towing residents through submerged streets on a lifeboat in the city of Kurume in Fukuoka, while a muddy stream began to overflow in neighbouring Saga prefecture.
A 59-year-old woman died and two of her family members were missing after a landslide destroyed two houses in Unzen, Nagasaki prefecture, a local official said.
“More than 150 troops, police and firefighters were dispatched to the site for rescue operations,” Takumi Kumasaki told AFP. “They are carefully searching for the missing residents, while watching out for further mudslides as the heavy rain continues.”
Downpours are forecast for several more days over a large swathe of the country. Scientists say the climate crisis is intensifying the risk of heavy rain.
Japan is having an appalling run of disasters … 