Kyushu Deluge: One Dead, Multiple Missing as Torrential Rains Hammer Southern Japan
Kyushu Deluge: One Dead, Multiple Missing as Torrential Rains Hammer Southern Japan
TOKYO (AP) — Torrential downpours have unleashed widespread devastation across Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu, triggering severe flooding and deadly mudslides as of Monday, August 11, 2025. The catastrophic weather event has claimed at least one life, left multiple individuals missing, and caused significant travel disruptions during the ongoing Buddhist ‘Bon’ holiday week.
Authorities have issued urgent evacuation advisories for tens of thousands across Kumamoto, Kagoshima, and six other prefectures, urging residents to prioritize safety. Rescue operations are intensely underway in Kumamoto, where one man was tragically found with no vital signs after a mudslide, and an elderly woman was discovered in a vehicle submerged in a river, her condition unknown. Further reports indicate three people are missing after falling into swollen rivers in Kumamoto, with two more unaccounted for in Fukuoka prefecture. Approximately 20 individuals remain stranded at a camping site in Kamiamakusa city, awaiting rescue.
The Japan Meteorological Agency had issued its highest-level warning for Kumamoto, reporting over 40 centimeters (15.7 inches) of rain in 24 hours. While the alert for Kumamoto was later downgraded as the system moved east, lower-level warnings persist for western Japan, where up to 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) more rainfall is expected.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has affirmed full government support for search, rescue, and relief efforts, emphasizing the critical need for residents to exercise maximum caution. The widespread flooding has crippled infrastructure, leading to the suspension of bullet train services connecting Kagoshima and Hakata, alongside local train disruptions. Approximately 6,000 households in Kumamoto initially lost power, with nearly half since restored. This latest wave of severe weather follows torrential rains last week in Kagoshima that left one person missing and four injured.
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