Tokyo, Aug 12
Record-breaking rainfall caused by a seasonal front hit Japan's Kyushu region on Tuesday, resulting in three confirmed deaths in Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Fukuoka prefectures, local media reported.
Local authorities reported that the victims were caught in landslides and river flooding, according to national broadcaster NHK.
At least two people were also feared dead and several others remained missing in southwestern Japan on Monday as heavy rain continued to hit the region, sparking floods and landslides.
The mother and two children were rescued, while local police said they are confirming the identity of a man who was later found nearby with no vital signs, the report said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a heavy rain emergency warning for parts of Kumamoto Prefecture but downgraded it to a heavy rain warning in the afternoon, while still calling for residents in the affected areas to stay vigilant.
In the six hours through early Monday, Kumamoto Prefecture's hardest-hit Tamana logged 370 millimeters of rainfall, nearly doubling the city's average precipitation for all of August, according to the JMA