Heavy rain Japan demands 81 lives

tokio -

The death toll due to heavy rainfall in Japan has risen to at least 81. Yesterday, too, rivers broke their banks, forcing millions of people to leave their homes, Japanese media report. Dozens of people are still missing.

Because of the torrential rain, parts of the southwest of Japan are flooded. In some places, three times as much rain has fallen as on average throughout the month of July. Also, parts of the country are affected by landslides.

The city of Kurashiki, with just under half a million inhabitants, is the hardest hit by the extreme weather. At least a thousand people are surrounded by the high water, including a hundred in a hospital. Rescue workers try to evacuate people with the help of boats and helicopters.