Japan says death toll from floods climbs to 100
HIROSHIMA (AP) — 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 yesterday that 68 people were unaccounted for, many of them in the hardesthit Hiroshima area.
Suga said 87 people were confirmed dead and 13 others had no vital signs when they were found as of early yesterday. Searches and cleanup efforts were taking place in the southwestern region where several days of heavy rainfall set off flooding and landslides in a widespread area.
Meanwhile, rescuers were hard at work searching for dozens still missing in southwestern Japan.
Seiji Toda was shocked and helpless when he saw his restaurant, which he opened nearly 40 years ago, filled with mud heaped about one meter from the floor. Tables, covered with clean white tablecloths before he left, were all mudcovered, chairs thrown to the floor.
“I had never seen anything like this,” he said on TBS television, standing outside his restaurant in Hiroshima city while wearing a helmet. He says it would be impossible to clean up the mess by hand.
Right next to his restaurant were heaps of broken trees and other debris. Several cars were still half buried in the mud.
The assessment of casualties has been difficult because of the widespread area affected by the rainfall, flooding and landslides since late last week. Authorities warned that landslides could strike even after rain subsides as the calamity shaped up to be potentially the worst in decades.