

Rescue workers extracted nine people alive and were working to remove five others, but one remained missing, according to the disaster agency. In Kurume, also in Fukuoka, a mudslide hit seven houses, burying 21 people. One was rescued alive but the other died, according to prefectural officials.

In the town of Soeda in Fukuoka prefecture, two people were buried by a mudslide. Two people died and at least six others were missing, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and prefectural officials.Ī man was found dead in a vehicle that fell into a swollen river in Yamaguchi prefecture. “Either way, we will do our utmost to respond to the disaster by putting people's lives first,” he said. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is scheduled to attend a July 11-12 NATO summit in Lithuania, said he will make a final decision on whether to go after assessing the extent of damage Tuesday morning. The emergency warning was downgraded later Monday to a regular warning. More than 1.7 million residents in vulnerable areas were urged to take shelter. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued an emergency heavy rain warning for Fukuoka and Oita prefectures on the southern main island of Kyushu, urging residents in riverside and hillside areas to take maximum caution. Rain falling in the regions of Kyushu and Chugoku since the weekend caused flooding along many rivers, triggered mudslides, closed roads, disrupted trains and cut the water supply in some areas. TOKYO (AP) - Torrential rain pounded southwestern Japan, triggering floods and mudslides and leaving two people dead and at least six others missing, officials said Monday.
