Heavy rain continues in western Japan, agency warns of landslides+

FUKUOKA, July 26 Kyodo -
Heavy rain continued in western Japan on Sunday, with eight people dead and
three others missing since Friday, as the Japan Meteorological Agency warned of
landslides and flooding.
The agency warned of heavy rain, flooding and landslides in extensive areas of
Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Saga prefectures in northern Kyushu and in some areas of
Yamaguchi Prefecture in the Chugoku region.
One more person was confirmed dead Sunday and another person declared missing.
A 78-year-old farmer was confirmed dead after a landslide behind his home in
Chikushino, Fukuoka Prefecture, at around 11:30 a.m.
A 5-year-old boy was missing after being swept away by a river at around 4 p.m.
in Chikugo, Fukuoka Prefecture.
The bad weather led to the cancellation of Prime Minister Taro Aso's planned
visit to Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, which suffered downpours that on Tuesday
triggered a mudslide at a nursing home for the elderly that killed six people.
The Fukuoka municipal government issued an evacuation advisory for more than
20,000 households as rivers in the city could overflow.
In the town of Sasaguri in Fukuoka Prefecture, torrential rain forced rescue
workers to cancel plans to resume search operations for two missing people -- a
61-year-old woman and her 34-year-old daughter -- who went missing after their
house collapsed.
Aso had planned to discuss reconstruction assistance for disaster-affected
areas with Yamaguchi Gov. Sekinari Nii and others.
Heavy rain in Yamaguchi Prefecture since July 19 has left 14 people dead,
including the six at the nursing home, and three others missing.
==Kyodo