Death Toll Passes 50 in Severe Japanese Flooding

The death toll from severe flooding in Japan was at 52 on July 7, but that figure was expected to rise given the number of people still missing in areas hit by intense rain and landslides.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on July 6 that the heavy rain was likely to continue until July 8. He added: “I urge the public … to pay close attention to information from local authorities and take actions to protect your own lives without letting their guard down.”

NHK said that some parts of Japan were experiencing levels of rainfall not seen in several decades.

In this video, armed forces personnel use a dingy to carry three people, including a baby, and a dog, along a flooded street in Omuta. Two evacuation centers in Omuta were themselves flooded on July 6, Kyodo News said. Credit: Japan Self-Defense Forces via Storyful