Society

More downpours pound Japan's Kyushu region

Aug 16 (NHK) - A weather front is bringing more downpours to Japan's southwestern region of Kyushu, which has been drenched by torrential rain in recent days.

In the town of Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, 51 millimeters of intense rain fell during the hour until 8 a.m. on Monday.

The Meteorological Agency says a lingering rain front brought intense precipitation to much of eastern and western Japan intermittently through Sunday. Rivers overflowed and mudslides struck some locations.

Mudslide alerts remain in place in some parts of Saga and Kumamoto prefectures in Kyushu.

Weather officials forecast extremely heavy rainfall with thunder for Kyushu on Monday, and for wide areas from western to northern Japan on Tuesday.

Kyushu may receive up to 250 millimeters of rain and the Shikoku region may get up to 120 millimeters for the 24-hour period through Tuesday morning.

The front is predicted to stay over or near Japan through Friday.

The Meteorological Agency is urging people to remain vigilant against the possibility of more mudslides, flooding from rivers, and inundation of low-lying areas.

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