This is a developing news story. Click for a more recent report about the heavy rainfall in western/central Japan.
Record heavy rainfall continued to pound western and central parts of the nation Saturday, leaving at least eight people dead and 46 others missing due to landslides and swollen rivers, according to the the Meteorological Agency. With agency forecasting continued rain over the weekend, officials in western Japan have warned residents of flooding along canals, riverbanks and further mudslides.