Heavy rains lashed Shimane Prefecture and other western Japan areas on Saturday, with local authorities urging some 370,000 residents in two cities to evacuate their homes.
In the city of Izumo, there have been at least 15 landslides, and 20 locations were impacted by overflowing rivers. With roads cut off, four areas in the city were isolated though lifelines remained intact, according to prefectural and city governments.
There has been a report of a car falling into a river in the city, and local police and rescuers said they are searching for the driver.
In Shimane, Izumo saw 109 millimeters of precipitation in a six-hour period on Saturday, while neighboring Matsue recorded 95.5 mm of rainfall, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
With the seasonal rain front staying over the Japanese archipelago, the agency called for caution, particularly in western, southwestern and central Japan regions, where thunderstorms are possible on Sunday, the agency said.
