Weather officials in Japan are calling for caution as continuing heavy rain could prompt landslides, flooding in low-lying areas as well as gusty winds across the country.
The Meteorological Agency says the lingering seasonal front is bringing active rain clouds to eastern and western parts of Japan. Warm, damp air is blowing into the rain front, creating unstable atmospheric conditions. Kumamoto Prefecture, in southwestern Japan, had about 200 millimeters of rain over a 12-hour period.
The rain is expected to intensify from Sunday night through Monday in western Japan as a cold air mass moves south. The northern part of the Kyushu region could have up to 70 millimeters of rain in an hour.
Weather officials say intermittent rain could fall till midweek.
Across the country, more than 230,000 people have been issued evacuation advisories.
—NHK
