Japan flood toll rises to 20

Tokyo: The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Japan’s south has risen to 20, local media reported Sunday, as rescue teams continued their search for survivors. Swathes of Kyushu — the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands — have been left devastated after overflowing rivers and torrential downpours swept away roads, houses and schools this week. Thousands of people have been evacuated to makeshift shelters in school gyms and public buildings, but many remain stranded, with emergency services battling through thick mud and rain to try to reach them. Some 250 people were still cut off by Sunday, the Kyodo news agency said. Collapsed bridges and waterlogged ground were hampering rescue efforts.