Words of sympathy and support: Putin extends condolences to Japan Prime Minister over Hiroshima landslides victims

RIA Novosti
Wed, 20 Aug 2014 06:44 UTC

© RIA Novosti. Mikhail Klimentiev

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences Wednesday to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over numerous victims as a result of landslides in Hiroshima Prefecture.

"The head of the Russian State has expressed his words of sympathy and support to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those, injured as a result of this catastrophe," a statement on the Kremlin website read.

According to the latest media reports, 39 people were killed in landslides, including a two-year-old child and several teenagers aged between 11 and 16. Seven people are unaccounted for.

Torrential rains that started in the region late on Tuesday triggered deadly landslides. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a record breaking 204 millimeters of precipitation was observed in just three hours in the city of Hiroshima on Wednesday, surpassing the total monthly average for August.

Heavy rain has also been reported in Nagasaki Prefecture and other parts of western Japan.