Rain hampers mudslide rescue efforts in Shizuoka NHK WORLD -JAPAN 10 hours ago
Mudslides claimed at least 2 lives in a city near Tokyo on Saturday, and rain has hampered rescue efforts for around 20 people still missing.
A thousand personnel, including Self-Defense Forces and police officers, continued to search in the city of Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture .
Rain forced them to stop several times. Officials say 23 people have been rescued so far from the sites, and three were injured.
The mudslides travelled nearly two kilometers. Officials say the slides damaged at least 130 buildings, including houses, in their path.
Torrential rain struck areas along the Pacific coast of the mudslides.
Atami has already recorded more than its average rainfall for the entire month of July.
Nearly 400 people evacuated from the area. Among them was a man who said, " My house was not swept away but it was damaged. The mudslide was very powerful...just like a tsunami, so it is called a mountain tsunami."
Tokyo's Meterological Agency saad a lingering rain front is gradually moving north, bringing thunder showers to wide areas of the country along the Sea of Japan.
