Heavy rain pounded Japan's southwestern Kyushu region on Monday, causing a bridge to collapse, with evacuation orders issued for some 360,000 residents in the city of Kumamoto.
The Meteorological Agency warned of torrential rain and thunder continuing across the region through around Tuesday noon and called on residents to be on alert for mudslides and flooding.
Kumamoto Prefecture saw the development of linear rainbands known to bring torrential downpours. The towns of Yamato and Mashiki in the prefecture registered hourly precipitation of 82 millimeters and 80 mm, respectively, both July records for the areas, on Monday morning.
The violent rain caused a 37-meter concrete bridge above a small river running through Yamato to collapse, according to local authorities. There were no reports of casualties.
In Mashiki, a man was rescued by firefighters in a rubber boat after his house was stranded by a flooded river, authorities said.
Evacuation orders have been issued in 14 municipalities in the prefecture, including the city of Kumamoto, as well as in some municipalities in Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.
Parts of Kumamoto Prefecture also saw power cut off, according to Kyushu Electric Power.
