14 dead in Japan from flooding and landslides

Around fourteen people are thought to be dead at an elderly care home in Japan as unpredicted, and record-breaking rainfall causes extensive floods and landslides.

Between sixty to seventy people were in the nursing home when the floods hit.

Authorities are advising over 200,000 residents to evacuate the southern island of Kyushu.

The rain has been reportedly so bad that the Kuma river in Kumamoto, burst its banks according to governor Ikuo Kabashima.

Rescue services have been so overwhelmed that the Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has ordered that around 10,000 troops to be deployed to help the effort.

Mr Abe warned the public to be on "maximum alert" as the extensive rain is set to carry on till Sunday.

Some reports suggest that in other parts of Kumamoto another person was seriously injured, nine people are missing, and around 100 more are stranded as the flooding has cut off the roads. Also, train services in the region have been suspended, and over 8,000 homes have lost power.

Witnesses and residents have seen large trees and remnants of houses being washed away.

Although floods and landslides are frequent in Japan during its rainy season, Japan's Meteorological Agency has come forward saying that the current rates of rainfall have never been seen before in the region.