Rescue Efforts Resumed After Deadly Mudslide
Rescue workers have resumed their 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. Continuous rain had forced rescuers to suspend operations for half an hour on Sunday.
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. Three had minor injuries.
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.
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 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.