Japan flood death toll rises to 155
TOKYO – At least 155 people have died in floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain in western Japan, said the government.
It is the highest death toll caused by rainfall that Japan has seen in more than three decades.
Rescuers are now digging through mud and rubble in a race to find survivors, as dozens are still missing.
About two million people have been evacuated from the region after rivers burst their banks.
Authorities have opened up school halls and gymnasiums to those who have been displaced by the rainfall.
There remains a risk of landslides, with rain-sodden hilltops liable to collapse.