Rescue workers continue to sift through the rubble and mud in the city of Atami in Japan's Shizouka prefecture to look for survivors. Efforts to find survivors continued Tuesday, three days after a mudslide swept through the coastal city.
Authorities said at least four people had been confirmed dead and around two dozen more were still missing. The "tsunami" of mud that swept through the city was triggered by days of torrential rain.
Film of the mudslide went viral on social media. Video showed how the deluge of black water crashed into buildings and homes as people watched helplessly.
Japan officials said rescue efforts have been stepped up over the past three days, with more personnel being deployed to help find survivors. Police, firefighters and members of the Japan Self Defense Force have joined the difficult and dangerous rescue operation.
On Monday evening, one more victim was confirmed dead, while 26 other people were rescued. Officials initially estimated that there could be more than 110 people missing. That figure was later downgraded to 24 people after residents confirmed that some of the houses along the mudslide's path were unoccupied.
Authorities said some people were able to evacuate their homes before the landslide hit. Others weren't so lucky. One resident said he had lost his home and all of his belongings because of the incident.
"The mudslide looked like a tsunami - it was like a big wave that made a thunderous noise and came crashing down onto the ground. The ground rumbled and the electricity pylons were shaking," one resident who witnessed the landslide said.
Atami City's Fire Disaster and Management Agency said at least 130 houses along the landslide's path were completely destroyed. People living along the mountainside have been asked to evacuate in case another landslide occurs, the agency said.
Atami officials have set up three separate evacuation centers and two private hotels had been rented out for survivors and residents. Authorities said more than 562 people have been evacuated so far.
The governor of Shizuoka, Heita Kawakatsu, said Monday that they will be conducting an investigation to determine whether the landslide was caused by deforestation in the area.
