Japan in distress once again

Published July 18, 2012
Policemen search for missing people at collapsed houses. Record-setting rainfalls have caused flooding and landslides in parts of southwestern Japan. ? Photo by Reuters/Kyodo
Policemen search for missing people at collapsed houses. Record-setting rainfalls have caused flooding and landslides in parts of southwestern Japan. ? Photo by Reuters/Kyodo
A collapsed house lies on the bank of the Kumanoue River in Ukiha, Fukuoka prefecture. ? Photo by AFP
A collapsed house lies on the bank of the Kumanoue River in Ukiha, Fukuoka prefecture. ? Photo by AFP
Residents walk on a temporary wooden bridge over a collapsed river in Ukiha, Fukuoka prefecture.  A typhoon menacing already sodden southwestern Japan could dump weeks' worth of rain on the area, forecasters warned, as communities struggle to recover from huge floods. ? Photo by AFP
Residents walk on a temporary wooden bridge over a collapsed river in Ukiha, Fukuoka prefecture. A typhoon menacing already sodden southwestern Japan could dump weeks' worth of rain on the area, forecasters warned, as communities struggle to recover from huge floods. ? Photo by AFP
Japanese motorists look on near a road collapse next to a river in Hita City, Oita prefecture.  Flood-battered southwestern Japan braced for a typhoon amid fears it could heap further misery on an area, where at least 32 are dead or missing after record rainfall. ? Photo by AFP
Japanese motorists look on near a road collapse next to a river in Hita City, Oita prefecture. Flood-battered southwestern Japan braced for a typhoon amid fears it could heap further misery on an area, where at least 32 are dead or missing after record rainfall. ? Photo by AFP
Southwestern Japan was bracing for more torrential rain on top of ?unprecedented? downpours. Whole neighbourhoods were swamped by the downpours. ? Photo by AFP/Kumamoto Fire Department
Southwestern Japan was bracing for more torrential rain on top of ?unprecedented? downpours. Whole neighbourhoods were swamped by the downpours. ? Photo by AFP/Kumamoto Fire Department
Japan Self-Defence Force soldiers search for missing people among collapsed houses following a landslide caused by heavy rains in Aso, southwestern Japan July. The downpour has killed 20 people and left eight missing while in Fukuoka prefecture alone nearly 200,000 people have been asked to evacuate. ? Photo by Reuters/Japan Ground Self-Defence Force 8th Division
Japan Self-Defence Force soldiers search for missing people among collapsed houses following a landslide caused by heavy rains in Aso, southwestern Japan July. The downpour has killed 20 people and left eight missing while in Fukuoka prefecture alone nearly 200,000 people have been asked to evacuate. ? Photo by Reuters/Japan Ground Self-Defence Force 8th Division
A destroyed car lies near collapsed houses after a landslide caused by heavy rains. At least 230,000 people across four prefectures in Northern Kyushu, southern Japan have received evacuation orders on Saturday as heavy rains continued for a third day. ? Photo by Reuters/Japan Self Defense Forces 8th Division
A destroyed car lies near collapsed houses after a landslide caused by heavy rains. At least 230,000 people across four prefectures in Northern Kyushu, southern Japan have received evacuation orders on Saturday as heavy rains continued for a third day. ? Photo by Reuters/Japan Self Defense Forces 8th Division
This handout picture released from Kumamoto Fire Department shows an aerial view of a cluster of buildings affected by flood waters left by torrential rain at Aso city. ? Photo by AFP/Kumamoto Fire Department
This handout picture released from Kumamoto Fire Department shows an aerial view of a cluster of buildings affected by flood waters left by torrential rain at Aso city. ? Photo by AFP/Kumamoto Fire Department
A man walks along a road covered in mud after heavy rains fell. At least six people died, 18 were missing. ? Photo by AFP/JIJI Press
A man walks along a road covered in mud after heavy rains fell. At least six people died, 18 were missing. ? Photo by AFP/JIJI Press
This handout picture released from Kumamoto Fire Department, shows an aerial view of a residential area and road affected by flood waters left by torrential rain at Aso city in Kumamoto prefecture, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu. ? Photo by AFP/Kumamoto Fire Department
This handout picture released from Kumamoto Fire Department, shows an aerial view of a residential area and road affected by flood waters left by torrential rain at Aso city in Kumamoto prefecture, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu. ? Photo by AFP/Kumamoto Fire Department
An aerial view shows firefighters searching among collapsed houses following a landslide caused by heavy rains in Minamiaso town, Kumamoto prefecture, in this photo taken by Kyodo July 12, 2012., local media reports said. ? Photo by Reuters/Kyodo
An aerial view shows firefighters searching among collapsed houses following a landslide caused by heavy rains in Minamiaso town, Kumamoto prefecture, in this photo taken by Kyodo July 12, 2012., local media reports said. ? Photo by Reuters/Kyodo

A typhoon menacing already sodden southwestern Japan, could dump weeks worth of rain on the area, forecasters warned, as communities struggle to recover from huge floods. Record-setting rainfalls have caused flooding and landslides in parts of southwestern Japan, leading to evacuation orders for thousands of residents, with authorities fearing that some people may have been buried alive.

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