Weather agency warns of landslide risk in Japan

Tokyo: The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) on Monday said heavy rain with thunder is expected in western Japan through Tuesday, calling for vigilance against landslides.

The weather agency said a warm, damp air mass is flowing toward a seasonal rain front over western Japan, which has made atmospheric conditions very unstable in the region, reports Xinhua news agency.

The front is expected to move south to waters off the main island of Honshu, and will then stay around southern Kyushu, according to the JMA.

Weather officials said up to 150 mm of rainfall is expected for southern Kyushu in the 24 hours though Tuesday morning, while up to 130 mm is expected for northern Kyushu and 80 mm for the Kinki region.

The agency warned that even a little more rainfall could increase landslide risks because the ground may already be saturated in some areas, calling on people to be on the alert over risks of landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, swelling rivers, lightning strikes, violent gusts like tornadoes and hailstorms.