- Over 141 people have been killed and millions have been evacuated from areas affected by landslides in western Japan.
- Rescuers are continuing to search for people as many are believed to be trapped in their homes amid heavy flooding.
- This is the highest death toll caused by rainfall that Japan has seen in decades.
- Authorities on Sunday ordered evacuations for up to 5.9 million people in 19 nearby prefectures.
More than 141 people have been killed and millions have been evacuated from areas affected by landslides in western Japan.
Record rainfall began Thursday and continued over the weekend, pounding western and central prefectures. Officials say over 141 people had died and dozens more are still missing, BBC news reported Tuesday.
Hiroshima Prefecture was hit the hardest, with 38 people reported dead, NHK reported.
This is the highest death toll caused by rainfall that Japan has seen in decades.
Rescuers are continuing to search for people stranded by the flooding and landslides, and many people are believed to be trapped in their homes.
Photos have emerged of people trapped on rooftops and others being rescued by boat from buildings submerged by floodwaters.
Authorities on Sunday ordered evacuations for up to 5.9 million people in 19 nearby prefectures, The Japan Times reported. 30,000 people had taken refuge in evacuation centers on Sunday afternoon, according to Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
"Rescue efforts are a battle with time," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Sunday. "The rescue teams are doing their utmost."
Several businesses continued to be affected by flooding, including automaker Mazda Motor Corp. and Daihatsu Motor Co., which suspended factory operations in Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi, the Times added.
More than 70,000 rescue workers including army personnel are involved in the relief effort, the BBC said.