Two killed as torrential rains in Southern Japan cause floods

Torrential rains caused floods and landslides on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu on Wednesday, killing at least two people and prompting authorities to issue a rare emergency warning and evacuation orders for nearly 850,000 people.

In Saga Prefecture in the Kyushu region, JR Saga Station was flooded and a number of vehicles were seen submerged, while landslides were confirmed in the city of Takeo and rivers in Ogi and Imari overflowed, flooding nearby farm fields.

One man was confirmed dead after being found in a minicar that had been swept away by floodwaters on a road in Takeo, while another man was confirmed dead after escaping from his submerged light vehicle during flooding in Yame, Fukuoka Prefecture, according to police.

A woman was feared dead after her light vehicle plunged into a flooded ditch in the nearby city of Saga, the police said.

In Saga, a number of vehicles were seen submerged and JR Saga Station was flooded.

Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures issued evacuation orders to residents. The Meteorological Agency issued its maximum level 5 warning for floods and landslides in the region. The warning was lifted in the afternoon.