Aug 29 (NHK) - Torrential rain has been pounding much of western Japan, triggering floods and landslides. The extreme weather has left two people dead and another unconscious. One person has been reported missing.
The severe storm was caused by an active front system.
And thunderclouds covered the island of Kyushu.
Kyushu' s Saga prefecture has been hit by more than 400 millimeters of rain in just two days.That's twice the usual rainfall for the entire month.
One man died after his vehicle was swept away. A woman was found after her car fell into a ditch. She is reportedly unconscious.
A man in neighboring Fukuoka died trying to flee from his flooded vehicle.
Rivers have swollen, and are beginning to burst their banks. Officials say there have been mudslides, too.
In Saga, the flooding hit an ironworks factory and caused what appears to be an oil spill. The oil-tainted flood has left people stranded in a hospital. No patients or staff have been hurt. Emergency teams used a raft to rescue people who couldn't evacuate in time.
Rescue officials in Kyushu say they've received hundreds of calls from drivers who are trapped in their cars.
Authorities have downgraded the emergency warning for 3 prefectures in Kyushu. Evacuation orders or advisories are still in place for more than one million people across the country.
The downpours are seriously disrupting transportation. Train services have been partially suspended in northern Kyushu. Sections of some expressways have been closed.
