Torrential rains in Japan leave 6 dead, damage 4,000 houses

Tokyo, Aug 16 (EFE).- Torrential rains that have affected Japan over the last few days and caused an alert to be declared in the southwest and have left six people dead and four missing, while also causing damages to more than 4,000 houses and buildings.

The Japan Meteorological Agency on Monday issued an alert in the island of Kyushu in the south-west of the country over the possibility of floods and landslides, particularly in Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures.

Heavy rains have lashed various parts of the archipelago since Friday.

The authorities have not ruled out declaring maximum alert and initiating an evacuation process.

In the meantime, it has urged citizens to exercise extreme caution over the high probability of flooding, landslides and river overflows.

Over the last few days, heavy rainfall in the southwestern, central and eastern parts of Japan has caused the overflowing of several rivers in Kyoto and Gifu as well as several landslides in Kyushu and Nagano regions.

So far, the authorities have confirmed six deaths, four missing and six injured.

Moreover, more than 4,000 houses and buildings that have been damaged due to the landslides and floods, mainly on Kyushu Island.

The rains are expected to move to the eastern and northern parts of Japan over the next 24 hours, whereas the Japan Meteorological Agency has warned that heavy rainfall could continue over the next few days.

Rescue and relief teams have been working to find those missing and attending to those affected.

In the central Nagano prefecture, a landslide in the town of Okaya on Sunday buried five people, killing three, according to state broadcaster NHK.

On Friday, two houses were buried in a landslide in the village of Unzen in Nagasaki, killing one person, while two others remain missing. EFE

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