The death toll in torrential rains in southwestern Japan climbed to 157, while 56 people were reported missing, public broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday.

Heavy rainfall has been lashing the country since Thursday, especially the western prefectures of Hiroshima and Ehime, and have have caused floods and landslides that destroyed property and completely cut off several towns. </s> The death toll from heavy rain and flooding in southern Japan this week has risen to 15 as rescue workers reached isolated villages where at least six others are missing and feared dead.

Heavy rain warnings are still in place for parts of the southern island of Kyushu on Saturday, days after Typhoon Nanmadol swept across Japan, triggering floods and mudslides that wrecked hundreds of homes, roads and rice terraces.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says Saturday 12 dead have so far been found in the hardest-hit Asakura city in Fukuoka prefecture and three others in neighboring Oita prefecture.

Officials say 12,000 troops and rescuers continued searching for the six missing and clearing debris off roads. </s> Tokyo — The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in southern Japan has risen to 15, media reported yesterday, as rescuers continued work to bring out isolated survivors.

Raging rivers overflowing with water and mud have devastated swathes of Kyushu — the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands — after heavy rainfall, sweeping away roads and houses and destroying schools.

Thousands of rescuers have been fighting through thick mud and battling rain to search for missing and stranded people, with more than 600 believed to still be cut off, according to Jiji Press.

Jiji and public broadcaster NHK reported the death toll had risen to 15 as more bodies were discovered.

The central government announced Friday an official death toll of seven with 22 people unaccounted for.

Deep mud and soaked ground on steep hillsides as well as knocked-out bridges have hampered rescue work.

TV footage has shown rescuers strapping people to cables to be lifted up to helicopters to be ferried to safety in evacuation shelters.

Aerial TV footage on Friday showed desperate residents of one isolated area using uprooted trees to spell out “SOS” for rescuers to see.

Fallen trees smashed into houses in the hard-hit Fukuoka prefecture city of Asakura, which saw more than 50 centimeters of rain in a 12-hour period to Wednesday night.

“My parents are still trapped with 16 other people in the Kurogawa area, and I have absolutely no information about the situation there,” Asakura resident Kayoko Ishibashi told Agence France-Presse Friday, referring to a district in the city.

The government has dispatched some 12,000 police, military, firefighters and coast guard personnel for rescue operations. </s> TOKYO (AP) - The death toll from heavy rain and flooding in southern Japan this week has risen to 15 as rescue workers reached isolated villages where at least six others are missing and feared dead.

Heavy rain warnings are still in place for parts of the southern island of Kyushu on Saturday, days after Typhoon Nanmadol swept across Japan, triggering floods and mudslides that wrecked hundreds of homes, roads and rice terraces.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says Saturday 12 dead have so far been found in the hardest-hit Asakura city in Fukuoka prefecture and three others in neighboring Oita prefecture.

Firefighters inspect the collapsed houses in the mud following the flooding caused by heavy rain in Asakura, Fukuoka prefecture, southwestern Japan, Saturday, July 8, 2017. The southern island of Kyushu suffered heavy rain after Typhoon Nanmadol swept across Japan earlier in the week, dumping large amounts of rain that damaged homes, roads and rice fields. (Koji Harada/Kyodo News via AP)

Officials say 12,000 troops and rescuers continued searching for the six missing and clearing debris off roads. </s> The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in southern Japan has risen to 15, a government official said Saturday, as rescuers continued work to evacuate isolated survivors.

Raging rivers overflowing with water and mud have devastated swathes of Kyushu -- the southernmost of Japan's four main islands -- after heavy rainfall, sweeping away roads and houses and destroying schools.

Thousands of rescuers have been fighting through thick mud and battling rain to search for missing and stranded people, with more than 500 believed to still be cut off, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters early Saturday that the death toll "rose to 15" and 16 people were still missing.

Local governments announced Friday that a total of eight people have died.

"The region is expected to see a localised heavy rain today," Suga said, advising local residents to gather information from the governments and media.

Separately, three women were found dead at the sea facing Saga prefecture, near the hard-hit Fukuoka prefecture city of Asakura, NHK said, adding that they were likely the victims of the heavy rain.

Deep mud and soaked ground on steep hillsides as well as knocked-out bridges have hampered rescue work.

TV footage has shown rescuers strapping people to cables to be lifted up to helicopters and ferried to safety in evacuation shelters.

Broken trees, their bark stripped away, littered the scenic and verdant landscape like broken matchsticks as thick clouds hovered over green mountains.

Aerial TV footage on Friday showed desperate residents of one isolated area using uprooted trees to spell out "SOS" for rescuers to see.

Fallen trees smashed into houses in Asakura, which saw more than 50 centimetres (almost 20 inches) of rain in a 12-hour period to Wednesday night.

"My parents are still trapped with 16 other people in the Kurogawa area and I have absolutely no information about the situation there," Asakura resident Kayoko Ishibashi told AFP Friday, referring to a district in the city.

"So I can only wait here in the hope that they will be rescued by helicopter," she added. "It's the same for everyone here."

The government has dispatched some 12,000 police, military, firefighters and coast guard personnel for rescue operations.

Japan's Imperial Household Agency said that out of consideration for the disaster-hit region, Emperor Akihito's eldest granddaughter Princess Mako and her fiancé decided to postpone Saturday's scheduled formal announcement of their engagement. </s> Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday said floods in Japan, caused by heavy rains, left 134 people dead, while 88 are missing.

As of Monday night, 126 people were considered dead; over 60 were believed to be missing.

“As far as we know, 134 people have died.

“Ten people are officially listed as missing. At the same time, it has been impossible to confirm the security and location of 78 others,’’ Suga told a news conference.

According to the cabinet secretary, the authorities have received about 100 alerts from witnesses who said they saw floodwater washing away a car with people inside.

“To aid the damaged areas, two billion yen (about 18 million dollars) has been allocated,’’ Suga added.

Heavy rain poured down on the southwest and center of Japan earlier this month, causing flooding and landslides.

About 1,800 people were evacuated from the affected areas by Monday night, over 11,000 people were staying in special shelters. Power was cut in over 20,000 households. </s> Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday said floods in Japan, caused by heavy rains, left 134 people dead, while 88 are missing.

As of Monday night, 126 people were considered dead; over 60 were believed to be missing.

“As far as we know, 134 people have died.

“Ten people are officially listed as missing. At the same time, it has been impossible to confirm the security and location of 78 others,’’ Suga told a news conference.

According to the cabinet secretary, the authorities have received about 100 alerts from witnesses who said they saw floodwater washing away a car with people inside.

“To aid the damaged areas, two billion yen (about 18 million dollars) has been allocated,’’ Suga added.

Heavy rain poured down on the southwest and centre of Japan earlier this month, causing flooding and landslides.

About 1,800 people were evacuated from the affected areas by Monday night, over 11,000 people were staying in special shelters. Power was cut in over 20,000 households. </s> TOKYO, July 10 — The death toll in record rains that have devastated parts of Japan with flooding and landslides rose today to 156, the top government spokesman said.

Search-and-rescue operations are continuing after the worst weather-related disaster in Japan in over three decades, with dozens of people still believed missing. — AFP </s> Death toll continues to climb after week of heavy rain that has washed away housesTorrents of rainfall and flooding battered a widespread area in southwestern Japan on Saturday, leaving at least 15 people dead and more than 50 missing, according to Japanese media.As the death toll continued to climb from the rainfall, which began earlier this week, Okayama prefecture said a man caught in a landslide was pronounced dead.Kyodo news service reported another death in a landslide in Hiroshima, which set off a fire, while the body of a child was found in a flooded area.Among the missing were five people who got buried when housing collapsed, also in Hiroshima prefecture. In Ehime prefecture, a woman was found dead on the second floor of a home hit by a landslide, Kyodo said.Yamaguchi prefecture, another area hit by the heavy rain, alerted people to heed evacuation warnings and act quickly.Kyoto prefecture said it was working to control flooding at several dams. About 250 people had to flee their homes and the prefecture identified one fatality as a 52-year old woman.Roads were blocked in some areas and warnings issued on landslides. Military water trucks were rushing to areas where water systems were no longer working, Okayama prefecture said.Although Japan is among the most modernised of Asian nations, rural areas are hit hard by the rainy season each year, often resulting in casualties and heavy damage.Source: Associated Press
The death toll from heavy rains in Japan rises to 94, with over 50 people still reported missing.