Three killed, 26 missing in heavy rains in Japan

Massive floods and landslides caused by heavy rain in eastern Japan have claimed the lives of three people while 26 others are missing, the authorities reported on Friday.

In the city of Joso in Ibaraki prefecture, 25 people, including two children, went missing after heavy rain broke a levee of the Kinugawa river on Thursday, NHK news agency reported.

In Tochigi prefecture, a 63-year-old woman was killed when a mudslide hit her house in Kanuma city.

In Nikko city, a man in his 20s died after falling into a drainpipe.

Officials of Kurihara city in Miyagi prefecture said that a 48-year-old woman was killed after she was washed away in her car on Friday morning.

They also said a 62-year-old man in his car was also swept away and is missing.

Japan's Meteorological Agency has issued an emergency warning due to record rainfall in Miyagi prefecture. Many municipalities are calling on residents to evacuate to safer places.

Precipitation in Miyagi was over 400 mm which is nearly twice the total rainfall for the average September, the agency said.

Miyagi's capital, Sendai city, issued an evacuation advisory to more than 310,000 residents.

More rains are expected in the next few days, the agency added.