Multiple individuals have vanished in the southwestern region of Japan, with persistent heavy rainfall contributing to the ongoing crisis
Heavy Rain Causes Landslides and Missing Persons in Southwestern Japan
Several people remain missing due to landslides caused by heavy rain in southwestern Japan, according to the latest reports on August 11, 2025.
In Kumamoto Prefecture, three people are missing, including a man whose car was swept away in Kosa town while evacuating with his family. Three others in the vehicle were rescued. Two people are missing in Fukuoka Prefecture, believed to have been swept away by a river in Fukutsu city on Sunday evening.
At least two people are feared dead in these events, with bodies found in Kumamoto (a man and a woman found with no vital signs in incidents related to landslides).
Rescue operations are ongoing, involving search efforts for those trapped or missing. In Misato town, Kumamoto Prefecture, rescuers are actively searching for a resident trapped in a collapsed house following a landslide; an elderly man was rescued from a landslide and is expected to survive. Emergency services continue to work under difficult conditions caused by heavy and record-breaking rainfall.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued landslide and extreme rainfall warnings in nine prefectures, including Kumamoto and Nagasaki. The government, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, has stated it remains committed to disaster response measures and urged residents to remain vigilant due to ongoing risks from the weather.
Overall, the situation remains critical, with tens of thousands evacuated across six prefectures and multiple locations under severe landslide risk due to unprecedented rainfall amounts. For instance, 370 mm of rainfall was recorded in six hours in Tamana, Kumamoto, which is nearly double the city's average precipitation for all of August.
JR Kyushu, a service provider for southwestern Japan, has suspended all bullet train services through Monday to prioritize safety amid continuing heavy rainfall.
Summary:
| Location | Missing Persons | Fatalities | Rescue Updates | |--------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | Kumamoto Prefecture| 3 (including man in swept car) | 2 feared dead (man & woman) | Ongoing search for trapped residents; elderly rescued alive | | Fukuoka Prefecture | 2 (swept away by river) | Not specified | Search ongoing |
This information reflects the situation as of mid-August 2025 and may evolve as rescue operations continue.
The car accident in Kosa town, Kumamoto Prefecture, where a man's car was swept away during a family evacuation, is part of the general news about the ongoing car-accidents and accidents caused by heavy rain in southwestern Japan. The latest weather reports indicate that nine prefectures, including Kumamoto, are under landslide and extreme rainfall warnings.
