44 killed due to flash floods southwestern Japan

Kyushu [Japan], July 6 : At least 44 persons have been killed and several others are missing following flooding and mudslides in Japan's southwestern region of Kyushu due to torrential rain.
Japan's weather agency issued its highest level warning on heavy rain for the port of Fukuoka and Nagasaki and Saga prefectures urging people to take all possible measures to protect their lives, Kyodo News reported.
About 254,000 residents from 117,000 households in Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures were asked to shift to safer places as of early Monday afternoon.
Of the 44 fatalities in flood-hit Kumamoto, 12 have been reported in Senjuen nursing home near the Kuma River, whose banks broke down at several locations, according to prefectural authorities.
Ten persons are still missing and one is feared dead.
Some 1,500 people had taken shelter at 86 evacuation centres across the prefecture as of Sunday afternoon as the downpour caused mudslides and floods, severing roads and leaving many houses without water or power.