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Heavy rains lash Japan's Kyushu, triggering evacuations and leaving at least 13 missing

04 July 2020 09:46 (UTC +04:00)

Unprecedented torrential rains pounded the southern island of Kyushu on Saturday, where at least 13 people have gone missing as weather officials warned against the threat of floods and landslides, APA reports citing public broadcaster NHK.

Some 76,600 residents in Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures has been ordered to evacuate their homes early Saturday as the heavy rains spurred floods and mudslides.

Television broadcast images of houses and cars submerged in muddy waters in Kumamoto Prefecture, where NHK said the flooding Kuma River was cutting off homes and had washed away a bridge.

More than 100 appeals for rescue flowed in to local authorities but they could not respond to all immediately, NHK said.

The Meteorological Agency issued its highest grade of warning for floods and landslides triggered by the rain "never seen" before in the region — the first time the agency had ever done so for the two prefectures.