People in the city of Hiroshima, western Japan, have remembered the victims of a series of landslides caused by heavy rain six years ago.

Rain of more than 100 millimeters per hour caused landslides at 166 locations in the city on August 20, 2014, directly or indirectly killing 77 people.

The land ministry says more than 280 mudslides caused by heavy rain have been reported in over half of the country's 47 prefectures.

A total of 282 mudslides had occurred in 27 prefectures by noon on Saturday, including 52 in Kumamoto Prefecture and 44 in Kagoshima Prefecture, both in the southern Kyushu region, and 23 in Nagano Prefecture in central Japan.

The heavy rain in the Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, started over the weekend, causing deadly flooding and mudslides.

Authorities in Kumamoto Prefecture say 44 people have been confirmed dead, one is without vital signs, and 10 others are missing.

The heavy rain in the Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, started over the weekend, causing deadly flooding and mudslides.

Authorities in Kumamoto Prefecture say 49 people have been confirmed dead, one is without vital signs, and 11 others are missing.

Torrential downpours lashed parts of southern Japan on Saturday morning.

With the rain easing, the heavy rain 'emergency warning' issued for Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures in the Kyushu region has been changed to a 'warning'.