Heavy rains leave 5 dead, 3 others missing in Japan

​​​​ISTANBUL

At least five people are dead and three more are missing on Monday after torrential rains in southwestern Japan caused mudslides and overflowing rivers.

Local authorities in Soeda in the Fukuoka province reported the death of an elderly woman together with her husband, both discovered trapped in a house covered in mud as a result of a landslide, along with others confirmed dead.

In Karatsu in the Saga province, a landslide hit two houses, resulting in a woman found dead while two men remain still missing.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its highest rain alert level for a brief period for the nearby provinces of Oita and Fukuoka, advising locals to take immediate safety precautions, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

In a pre-dawn emergency call, at around 3:40 a.m. local time (1840GMT), the weather agency urged residents to take prompt safety precautions to protect themselves.

Rail officials ordered the suspension of bullet train services at the Hiroshima, Kumamoto, and Hakata stations as heavy rains lashed the region, inundating roads and tracks.

The country’s Met Department on Sunday warned of flooding and landslides in Yamaguchi and adjoining provinces, with heavy precipitation expected from western and eastern regions through early next week.

Meteorologists predicted rainfall amounts of up to 200 millimeters (7.87 inches) in the northern Kyushu region, up to 100 mm in the Chugoku region of western Japan, and up to 80 mm (3.15 in) in the Hokuriku region of central Japan within the 24 hours leading up to Tuesday.