TOKYO: Heavy rains and floods claimed six lives in southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Whereas 20 other people were still missing, said officials. More than 12,000 personnel have been conscripted to help with the relief effort, digging through piles of splintered wood and mud in the wake of freak rains that forced nearly 80,000 from their homes.
The Government said six people had died and 20 remained unaccounted for as rain continued to fall over northern Kyushu on Friday, amid warnings of further landslides. Parts of Fukuoka, on the south-western island of Kyushu, were hit by 593 millimetres of rain in the 48 hours to 9:00am (local time), well over the rainfall of a usual July, the meteorological agency said.