Disaster risk rises as massive rains hit southwest Japan

Weather authorities warned about possible landslides, flooding in low-lying areas and swollen or overflowing rivers after heavy rains lashed southwestern Japan on Sunday, according to media reports.

Japan Meteorological Agency said zones of heavy rain clouds had developed in Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures through late Sunday morning, sharply increasing the risk of disasters, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The agency also forecast "highly unstable" atmospheric conditions across western Japan, with Shikoku, one of Japan's four main islands, possibly facing rainfall heavy enough to trigger warnings.

A weather front extends from the Chinese mainland through the Nansei Islands in southwestern Japan to the south of the country, while a low-pressure system above the East China Sea along the front is moving east-northeast, according to the agency.

By early Monday, rainfall in the 24-hour period is expected to reach up to 300 millimeters (11 inches) in Shikoku and 150 mm in southern Kyushu and the Amami region.