WEB DESK
Two people were confirmed dead and at least 11 others were missing and more than Five lakh were forced leave their homes after record rains battered Kyushu, the southwestern Japan for a second day today.
Rescue crews in southwest Japan are trying to reach stranded residents and locate missing people as torrential rain has triggered serious flooding and landslides. About 7,500 rescuers, including police, firefighters and soldiers from Japan’s Self Defence Forces, were mobilized to help with evacuations and search for the missing.
Parts of Fukuoka prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu were hit by 774 millimeter of rain in nine hours yesterday, about 2.2 times the amount of rain that falls in a normal July. Weather officials have issued emergency warnings for parts of Fukuoka and Oita prefectures.
The heavy rain was brought about by the formation of cumulonimbus clouds that remained over the area in line with the movement of a seasonal rain front.
Rainfall of over 50 mm per hour was registered in some areas in Kyushu and further precipitation is expected through Friday, the weather agency said.
Due to damage from the heavy rain, major companies, including Daihatsu Motor Co. and Yamato Transport Co., were forced to suspend or delay operations in the area.
Daihatsu halted operations at its plant in Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture, with resumption eyed for Friday. The firm had already halted engine production at its plant in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Wednesday night.
Yamato said its distribution service has been disrupted in areas mainly in Fukuoka and Oita prefectures due to flooding.
Japan Post Co. said delivery of letters and parcels in the two prefectures could be delayed by up to a day.
Supermarket operator Aeon Co. said deliveries have been delayed to some of its stores in Oita but said outlets are open during regular business hours.