'Torrential' rains kill 4 in Japan, several missing

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - At least four people were killed while five others are missing after torrential rains pelted parts of Japan on Tuesday.

Heavy rains lashed western and northeastern parts of the country on Tuesday, disrupting transportation and business, Kyodo News reported.

At least 62 cases of mudslides in at least 17 of Japan's 47 provinces were reported, while 36 rivers in nine provinces overflowed, damaging homes and disrupting transportation, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.

The country had been witnessing heavy rains since the middle of last week.

The deaths were reported from the Nagano and Nagasaki prefectures, while those missing were in Hiroshima and Kumamoto prefectures.

Roughly 4,450 houses in 17 of the country's 47 provinces have been damaged due to the torrential rain, according to Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency.