Downpours Continue To Hit Wide Areas Of Japan
Weather officials in Japan say a seasonal rain front is bringing downpours to wide areas along the Pacific coast, especially Shizuoka and Kanagawa prefectures.
The Meteorological Agency is urging caution against landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, swollen rivers, lightning strikes and tornadoes.
Officials say the front is moving northward from a location south of the main island of Honshu.
Heavy rain has been falling in the Tokai and Kanto regions. It was also intensifying in the Kansai region early on Saturday.
The agency says 56 millimeters of rainfall was recorded in the hour through 4 a.m. in Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Yokkaichi City in Mie Prefecture had 53 millimeters of rainfall during the same period.
Hakone Town in Kanagawa Prefecture saw 596.5 millimeters of rainfall during the 48 hours through 4 a.m. The figure exceeds the average amount for the entire month of July.
Landslide warnings have been issued for parts of Shizuoka, Aichi, Kanagawa, Chiba, Ibaraki, Yamanashi, Kyoto, Nara and Shiga prefectures. Some rivers in Shizuoka, Kanagawa and Mie prefectures have exceeded the flood danger level.
The rain front is expected to intensify as it moves northward.
Rainfall of more than 50 millimeters per hour may fall in Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures, southern parts of the Kanto region, the Koshin region, and the Izu Islands.