The Meteorological Agency on Tuesday warned of torrential rain in western Japan in the coming days and urged people to evacuate early to protect themselves against life-threatening disasters.
It said parts of Kyushu could receive 80 millimeters or more of rain per hour through Thursday, and the precipitation through Friday could eclipse that seen in western Japan last July, when floods and mudslides left more than 200 people dead.
"We want people to understand that a situation in which they have to protect their own lives is imminent," Ryuta Kurora, a senior forecaster at the agency, said during a hastily arranged news conference.