46 dead, 71 missing as heavy rains, landslides feared to continue in wide areas of Japan

Forty-six people were dead and at least 71 others remain unaccounted for as heavy rain continued to lash wide areas of the country, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) on July 7 to issue more warnings for rain and landslides in extensive areas from western to central Japan.

The JMA issued an emergency heavy rain warning in Gifu Prefecture on the afternoon of July 7 while lifting such a warning in Tottori Prefecture. The agency cautioned that heavy downpours could again hit later on July 7 or 8 even in areas where rain had previously eased, and urged people across the country to take caution.

The amount of rain over a 24-hour period up to noon on July 8 is estimated to be up to 250 millimeters in the Tokai and southern Kyushu regions, 200 millimeters in the Hokuriku and Shikoku areas and 150 millimeters in the Kinki and northern Kyushu districts.