Japan floods: Death toll escalates to 200; search and rescue mission continues

A picture shows cars trapped in the mud after floods in Saka, Hiroshima prefecture on July 8, 2018. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned on July 8 of a "race against time" to rescue flood victims as authorities issued new alerts over record rains that have killed at least 48 people. / AFP PHOTO / Martin BUREAU

Tokyo: The death toll from the torrential rains that have battered Japan reached 200, authorities said on Thursday, as search and rescue missions continue to find dozens still missing in the wake of flooding and landslides. More than 70,000 personnel were involved in ongoing search and rescue missions for the 60 or more people still unaccounted for in the areas affected by the deluge, Xinhua news agency reported. These include the hardest-hit regions of Hiroshima, Okayama and Ehime prefectures. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said that as of early Thursday morning, 6,700 people remained in emergency evacuation shelters. As some of the shelters were without air-conditioning, the Health Ministry warned of heat-related illnesses. Te weather agency said daytime temperatures could reach 35 degrees Celsius in the coming week. The ministry, specifically, warned about the possibility of food poisoning, as in the past people fell ill in such shelters after consuming food that had been left out in the heat for too long amid lack of refrigerators. Around 240,000 homes were cut off from water in western Japan and transportation systems were also severely disrupted. The Transport Ministry, West Japan Railway Co. and local operators of the 27 lines in the affected areas, reported damage at over 100 locations and will be unable to restart services within the next few days.