Nineteen missing as mudslide west of Tokyo hits houses
What's the story
A powerful mudslide carrying a deluge of black water and debris crashed into rows of houses in a town west of Tokyo following heavy rains on Saturday, leaving at least 19 people missing, officials said. Shizuoka prefecture spokesman Takamichi Sugiyama said dozens of homes may have been buried in Atami, a town known for hot springs.
Evacuation
Some people in the area are believed to have evacuated
"Rescue workers are searching for at least 19 people," said prefectural disaster management official Takamichi Sugiyama. He also said that the number of missing people may grow. The official said the mudslide occurred in an area called Izusan. Sugiyama said some people in the area are believed to have evacuated but no further details were immediately known.
Landslides
The landslides appeared to have struck multiple times
Television footage showed a powerful, black mudslide slide down a mountainside, knocking down and crushing houses in its way, as helpless neighbors watched in horror, some recording on their phones. The landslides appeared to have struck multiple times, about as fast as a car. NHK TV footage also showed a part of a bridge had collapsed.
Heavy rains
Torrential rains have slammed parts of Japan
Sugiyama said it had been raining hard in the area all morning. Self-defense forces will join firefighters and police in the rescue operation, he added. Evacuation warnings were issued for a widespread area. Heavy torrential rains have been lashing across Japan since earlier this week, causing rivers to swell in the central and the Tokyo region, and increasing the risk of landslides.