The toll in flood-related incidents in western Japan has risen to 200, police said on Thursday, according to Kyodo News Agency. More than 70,000 rescuers are looking for dozens of missing people, and thousands remain in shelters.
The toll is the highest caused by rainfall in Japan since 1982, according to BBC.
Over 2 lakh households still have no water, Reuters reported. This meant that residents are not getting enough fluids as temperatures rise, and are in danger of suffering from heatstroke, authorities said. The government has sent water trucks to affected places, but supplies remain limited.
The number of people in shelters has dropped from 30,000 on Sunday to about 6,700 people on Thursday morning, according to Fire and Disaster Management Agency. At least 140,000 homes and buildings have been damaged because of flooding in Okayama Prefecture, reported NHK World.
The United Nations said Secretary General Antonio Guterres had written to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offering support. He has “commended the government’s efforts to help people affected and expressed his admiration for the domestic search and rescue teams helping those in need”, said spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Abe visited Okayama on Wednesday to assess the extent of the damage. He cancelled an overseas trip after he faced criticism when photos posted on Twitter showed him at a party with lawmakers even as the crisis intensified. He is planning to also visit Hiroshima and Ehime prefectures next.
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