Toll in Japan landslides hits 63

Tokyo, Aug 26: The toll in rain-triggered landslides in the Japanese city of Hiroshima rose to 63 Tuesday, while 25 people remained missing.

Three more people were confirmed dead Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 63, Xinhua reported citing the Hiroshima prefectural police as telling the Japanese media.

About 2,800 rescuers continued their efforts in searching for survivors seven days after downpours triggered the mountainside disaster.

Hiroshima was hit by torrential rain in the early hours of last Wednesday with more than 100 mm of rain per hour recorded, triggering more than 50 mudslides in the Asaminami and Asakita wards in the city.

The mudslides buried and washed away houses and apartments in the two wards, trapping many who had remained in their homes.

Experts were quoted by the report as saying that the survival rate for people trapped without food or water in a disaster drops significantly after the first 72 hours, which passed last Saturday.

IANS