Japan: Mudslide buries houses and leaves at least 19 missing

A landslide and mud buried several houses leaving 19 people missing this Saturday in the central region of Japan Shizuoka, local officials said.

The collapse occurred after several days of heavy rains. According to television images, a torrent of mud washed away some houses and buried others in the coastal city of Atami, where the inhabitants fled trying to get to safety.

“The whereabouts of 19 people are unknown” after the landslide, said a Shizuoka prefecture official in charge of disaster situations.

Kisegawa Ohashi collapses.
Large-scale landslide in Atami.
In a situation where both the car and the house are washed away.#Heavy rain　#Diffusion hopepic.twitter.com/HX5mKb34zj

— Burning video / interesting story diffusion bird 🇯🇵 (@enjou_kakusan) July 3, 2021

The local government has requested military aid for rescue missions, he added.

🇯🇵 A powerful landslide descended in the city of Amami in Japan, at least 20 people could be injured, 10 houses were destroyed#Japan pic.twitter.com/eB9kDhPnPy

— The RAGEX (@theragex) July 3, 2021

The landslide occurred at 10:30 am on Saturday, according to an Atami municipal official, who added that “Several houses were swept away” and about 200 more remain without electricity.

Serious landslide and mud affects areas of Atami, Shizuoka prefecture, #Japan. (03.07.2021). #landslide #Mudslide #Japan #ClimateChange #zabedrosky #Phenomena pic.twitter.com/tbjR7jnsl4

By: @522Kmkm

– ⚠David de Zabedrosky🌎 (@deZabedrosky) July 3, 2021

The landslide occurred in the middle of the rainy season in Japan, which often cause floods and landslides.

Atami, located in the rural region of Shizuoka, is about 90 kms from the capital, Tokyo.