A mudslide closed a section of the Kyushu Shinkansen Line temporarily Friday, while a blackout briefly halted morning operations on part of the Sanyo Shinkansen Line, the railways said.
The Kyushu line suspended service between Sendai and Kagoshima Chuo stations in Kagoshima Prefecture after maintenance workers found mud covering the tracks in front of a tunnel during a check at around 3:25 a.m.
On the Sanyo line, service was temporarily halted between Fukuyama and Higashi Hiroshima stations, both in Hiroshima Prefecture, due to a blackout.
The mud slid down a slope due to heavy rain and broke through a concrete barrier, covering the tracks on the Kyushu line, according to Kyushu Railway Co.
The service was temporarily halted on the whole line from the start of the day, but later resumed between Shin Yatsushiro and Sendai stations. Passengers were asked to use a local line between Sendai and Kagoshima Chuo stations.
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