Two bodies were found and about 20 people remained missing after a massive mudslide triggered by torrential rain hit Atami city of Shizuoka prefecture in central Japan on Saturday, local authorities said.
The disaster occurred at about 10:30 a.m. local time in Atami city of Shizuoka prefecture on Saturday, as heavy rainfall swept areas along the Pacific coast in central and eastern Japan, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Firefighters are conducting a search and rescue operation in the slide-stricken area for the victims.
The Shizuoka prefectural government called for help from the Self-Defense Forces in disaster relief.
Public broadcaster NHK gave the number of missing people at 20, but Sugiyama said the prefecture confirmed at least 19, although he said the number may grow.
Torrential rains have slammed parts of Japan starting earlier this week. Experts said dirt had been loosened, increasing landslide risks in a country filled with valleys and mountains.
Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu told reporters that the Coast Guard had discovered two people who had been washed into the sea by the mudslide. Their hearts had stopped, but their deaths were not yet officially declared, he said. Other details of their identity were not released.
“I offer my deepest condolences to everyone who has suffered,” he said, adding that utmost efforts will be made to rescue lives.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga held talks with disaster minister Yasufumi Tanahashi over the mudslide and other calamities associated with the rain.
The Japan Meteorological Agency urged maximum alert and called on people to be vigilant over mudslides, flooding, and swollen rivers.
Torrential rain also disrupted the public transport system. The Shinkansen bullet train was temporarily halted in sections between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, according to operator Central Japan Railway Co.
The seasonal rain front is expected to move toward the Sea of Japan coast over the weekend.