Japan issues emergency warning after life-threatening rains in south

Japan's meteorological agency issued an emergency warning to residents of Kyushu after the southern island suffered record levels of rain early on Wednesday (August 27) that threatened to cause landslides, floods and other natural disasters.

An aerial view shows submerged houses and facilities at a flooded area in Takeo, Japan. (Photo: Yahoo News UK)
An aerial view shows submerged houses and facilities at a flooded area in Takeo, Japan. (Photo: Yahoo News UK)

Public broadcaster NHK said one man was found without vital signs in a car that appeared to have been washed away in Saga prefecture, where some areas were hit with rainfall of more than 100 mm (4 inches) in an hour.

The weather agency said parts of northern Kyushu were experiencing torrential rains only seen once in a few decades. It assigned the highest alert level of 5.

Reuters