At least four people were killed and 14 others went missing as torrential rain caused by a seasonal rain front hit a wide area of the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu where thousands of people were forced to evacuate homes on Thursday, local press said, according to Xinhua.
According to Japan`s public broadcaster Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) , at least three people were found dead and a total of 14 people went missing in Aso City and its surrounding region of Kumamoto Prefecture which saw hourly rainfall between 100 and 120 millimeters on Thursday morning.
In Taketa City of Oita Prefecture, a man was also found dead after he fell into a swelling river on Thursday when the city ordered, or advised, about 25,000 people to evacuate their houses located near the river.
Meanwhile, in Kumamoto City of Kumamoto Prefecture, thousands of people have been urged to leave home since the early morning due to rising water levels of nearby rivers, including Shirakawa, the main river which crosses the city center. Television images showed flooding submerging some residential squares along with the Shirakawa river in the city.
Weather authorities warned that heavy rainfall may trigger further floods and landslides in coastal areas of western Japan, parts of which may see hourly rainfall about 100 millimeters by Friday morning.
