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At least 270,000 people have been told to evacuate in four prefectures of Japan after a widespread flash flooding that was triggered by record rainfall on the southern island of Kyushu.
Tens of thousands of rescue workers in Japan have been desperately searching and combing through the wreckage of houses that have been shattered by deadly floods and landslides for survivors as the death toll rises and more torrential rain takes shape.
On Saturday, Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued a warning for unprecendented rainfall and called for residents in Kyushu to take “maximum caution.”
At least 37 people are feared to be dead and dozens missing after the record rains caused rivers to break banks and flood low-lying regions.
"Rescue workers are tirelessly continuing the search this morning," a spokesman for the western Kumamoto prefecture told AFP.
“Although the rain has subsided from its peak levels, the floods washed away roads and bridges, leaving many in isolated communities cut off,” The Star reports.
Speaking to AFP, a local firefighter in the western region of Kagoshima noted that boats had been deployed to rescue 11 people but the devastating conditions were making it tough to reach some of those who have been stranded.
"Calls came from people telling us that they wanted to flee their home but they could not do it on their own," he said. "Some roads are submerged and you cannot drive through them."
In some of the hardest-hit areas, residents even took to spelling out the words “rice, water, SOS” on the ground. Others waved towels and called for rescue and relief goods as they were stranded by the flood waters.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a non-compulsory evacuation order for hundreds of thousands of residents in Kumamoto and neighbouring Kagoshima Prefecture, as heavy rain is expected to continue.
“Up to 250 millimetres of rain is expected in the 24-hour period through Tuesday morning in the southern part of Kyushu Island, which includes areas hit hard by the flooding,” the agency said.
“Japan's Self Defense Forces and security authorities are continuing search and rescue operations in Kumamato and Kagoshima prefectures,” CNN reports. “Efforts have been complicated by conditions on the ground, however, with flooding and landslides cutting off contact to hundreds of communities in the highly-mountainous region.”
In a press conference on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga noted that over 800 people have been rescued by emergency services so far.
Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency stated that thousands of households have been isolated and 20,000 firefighters are currently on the ground trying to reach them.
Speaking to CNN, officials noted that they are “still gathering information on the number of fatalities and expect to update their figures over the coming days.”
Our thoughts and love are with those in Japan.
Info via CNN + The Star