Pope prays for victims of Japan floods as death toll rises to 156

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP/ AFP) — Pope Francis is praying for the victims of Japan’s flooding which has so far resulted in the death of at least 156 people and leaving some 80 people still unaccounted for.

The Pope sent a note of condolences to Catholic church authorities on Monday, saying he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the loss of life. At least 156 people are believed to have died, and another 80 people are unaccounted for, after heavy rains and mudslides thrashed southern Japan.

In the message, Francis expressed his solidarity with all those affected, offered his encouragement to rescue crews and said he was praying for the dead and injured “and the consolation of all those who grieve.”

European Union chief Donald Tusk has suggested moving the postponed summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Tokyo next week.

Abe was set to visit Tusk on Wednesday to sign a free trade pact with the EU but was forced to cancel his planned July 11-18 trip to Europe and the Middle East to oversee the emergency response to deadly heavy rains.

Tusk said that the “EU will help in any way we can.” He added that “in view of the tragic circumstances, we are ready to move our EU-Japan Summit from Brussels to Tokyo next week.”

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Monday at least 103 people have died or are presumed dead from the heavy rains, floods and mudslides that have struck large parts of western Japan. He said 80 people were unaccounted for, many of them in the hardest-hit Hiroshima area.

Suga said Abe was scheduled to visit Belgium, France, South Arabia and Egypt, beginning Wednesday.

The Japanese government says at least 100 people have died or are presumed dead from the heavy rains, floods and mudslides that have struck western Japan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference Monday that 68 people were unaccounted for, many of them in the hardest-hit Hiroshima area.

Suga said 87 people were confirmed dead and 13 others had no vital signs when they were found as of early Monday.

Searches and clean-up efforts were taking place in the southwestern region where several days of heavy rainfall set off flooding and landslides in a widespread area.