EHIME, Jul 13 (News On Japan) - A landslide at Matsuyama Castle has left three people missing, with warnings of heavy rain continuing through the holiday weekend starting on July 13th.
On Friday morning, the slope of the mountain where Matsuyama Castle in Ehime Prefecture is located collapsed, and contact has been lost with three residents of a wooden house that was caught in the landslide.
A nearby resident described the scene: 'There was a loud roar, followed by a tremendous crash that shook the ground.'
Police and firefighters are manually clearing debris to carry out rescue operations, but progress has been slow.
A Level 5 emergency safety alert remains in effect for the area around the site.
In Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, approximately 30 meters of a prefectural road collapsed. One car fell, causing minor injuries to a man in his 30s.
From July 13th, the stationary seasonal rain front over western and eastern Japan is expected to bring heavy rain over a wide area.
Residents in Matsuyama and Onomichi are urged to remain vigilant against landslides, even with light rain.
Source: ANN
