Mudslide Rescue Efforts Temporarily Halted
Continuous rain has caused rescue workers to temporarily suspend search and rescue operations after huge mudslides swept away houses near Tokyo.
Two people have died and about 20 others remain unaccounted for.
Torrential rain has been lashing areas along the country's Pacific coast since early Saturday.
There have been scenes of devastation in Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture. City officials report that about 130 houses have been damages.
They say they've rescued 10 people who had been stranded in homes. One had a minor injury.
About a thousand personnel from the Self-Defense Forces and police are joining the search and rescue operation.
Officials issued the highest level of warning to around 20,000 households in the city after the mudslides. People there have been told to "secure safety immediately." The area is steep and packed with houses and some hotels.
One local said he fled to higher ground after he saw mudslides nearby.
An NHK drone snapped footage about 9 hours after the initial slide. It shows water still flowing with force as well as severe damage.
It's the height of Japan's rainy season. Meteorological Agency officials say the downpours are due to a lingering rain front.
Shizuoka and Kanagawa prefectures are getting the worst of it. The officials say the city of Atami has seen more than the average rainfall for the whole of July in just two days.
They are warning of more mudslides, swollen rivers and floods in low-lying regions. Forecasters say the area will likely see heavy rains of 40 millimeters per hour later on Sunday.
They're asking people to stay abreast of the latest evacuation information.
Shinkansen bullet trains between Tokyo and Osaka were suspended on Saturday. But they are now running again.