Death toll rises to 21 in flood-hit southwest Japan

The death toll from last week’s floods and mudslides in south-western Japan yesterday rose to 21, while more than 20 people remained unaccounted for, local media has reported. Search and rescue operations continued in the prefectures of Oita and Fukuoka as weather authorities forecast more torrential rains in parts of the disaster-stricken areas. About 250 people were still cut off in the two prefectures while some 1,700 people had to spend the night at emergency evacuation centres, the Kyodo News agency reported, citing local authorities. Torrential rains started to inundate rivers and residential areas last Wednesday.