At least six dead as torrential rain causes mass flooding in Japan
More than 100,000 people have had to leave their homes with soldiers, firefighters and police deployed to aid rescue efforts.
Friday 7 July 2017 06:42, UK
At least six people have died and 100,000 others have been ordered to leave their homes as floods battered Japan's southwest for a second day.
The Fukuoka prefecture of Japan's Kyushu island was hit by a severe rainstorm on Thursday despite a weather warning being downgraded.
Parts of Fukuoka region were hit by 22in (55cm) of rain in 40 hours - more than what usually falls in the whole of July.
Helicopters airlifted stranded residents from their homes, which were immersed in water or destroyed by landslides.
Rescue efforts saw thousands of firefighters, soldiers and police officers trudging through mud and water to reach victims.
A resident whose house was destroyed by a landslide told public broadcaster NHK: "I heard this tremendous rumbling noise and then the house exploded. A tree burst through the wall into the room."
Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said 7,800 rescue officials, between fire fighters, police and other forces, had been mobilised.
He added that emergency services had managed to rescue 250 people but had yet to reach some of the affected areas.
Japan's weather agency said heavy rain was expected to continue into Friday.
An agency official told reporters: "Soil has been loosened in these regions because of the heavy rain... strict vigilance should be maintained."