Rain hampered rescuers in Japan getting to 20 missing people Sunday after landslides triggered by torrential rains hit the central city of Atami, killing at least two, Kyodo News agency said.
Rescue efforts were hampered Sunday by weather after fatal landslides caused by torrential rains hit the country over the weekend.
According to the Kyodo News agency which added Saturday, about 130 buildings in the central city of Atami were affected by floods, landslides and cascading mud.
One resident, 55-year-old Naoto Date, said he's never seen such devastation before.
"We had minor landslides in the past, decades ago. However, this is the first time we had such a large-scale disaster that the Self-Defense Forces and rescue crew from Tokyo's fire and disaster department needed to come. Usually even if there was a disaster, it could just be handled by the local fire department. Even my mother said that we never had such a big landslide before."
Some 700 people, including police, firefighters and the military were deployed on rescue missions, but their operations were interrupted by more rain and threats of landslides.
Kyodo News reported, however, that teams successfully evacuated nearly 400 people as of Sunday morning.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told people in affected areas to remain on alert and continue to take precautions.
