At least one killed, thousands evacuated amid record rainfall in Japan
Japan battling floods amid unprecedented rainfall
Record heavy rain caused rivers to overflow, washing away bridges and cars and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people across parts of northern Japan, said officials and media reports on Friday (Jul26).
One person died and four are missing after the heavy downpours in Yamagata and Akita prefectures on the main island of Honshu.
Police reported that a 60-year-old man was missing after a landslide at roadworks in Yuzawa City, while an 86-year-old man was unaccounted for after last being seen on a riverbank in Akita City.
According to media reports, one body was found in Akita City.
A local official in Yamagata, where two rivers burst their banks, told AFP that "three people, including two police officers who were on a mission searching for a missing man, are unaccounted for."
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Two parts of the Yamagata region experienced the highest 24-hour rainfall since records began in 1976, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Shinjo regionrecorded 389 millimetres and Sakata 289 millimetres.
Authorities issued evacuation orders to more than 200,000 people, Japan'sfire and disaster management agency said.
Despite the severe conditions, at least 4,000 people evacuated to shelters, according to public broadcaster NHK.
At least 3,060 households were reported to be without power, while 1,100 had no running water.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi toldreportersthat some motorways have been closed in the area and Shinkansen bullet trains have suspended operations due to the heavy rainfall.
Notably, Japan's weather agency earlier this week issued its highest emergency alert for heavy rains for Sakata and Yuza in the Yamagata region.
Later, the warning was downgraded by one notch in the country's five-tier warning system, but authorities urged the public to remain vigilant for potential landslides and flooding.
The Japan Meteorological Agency forecasts around 100 to 200 millimetres of rain per day will continue for the next three days.
(With inputs from agencies)