© KYODO
Houses are seen buried in mud in the town of Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Monday after heavy rain triggered landslides.
Heavy rain from a seasonal rain front has continued to lash southern Kyushu in southwestern Japan and other areas, killing one person and sparking evacuation advisories for over 1.2 million people and triggering at least one landslide.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned of heavy rain in eastern Japan on July 1 and in western Japan through July 4, with a possibility of localized downpours and thunderstorms. The agency is calling for people to be on their guard against landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, lightning and other extreme weather.
By 9 a.m., evacuation advisories were in place for more than 1.21 million people in 558,715 households in 21 municipalities in the three southwestern Japan prefectures of Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Kumamoto. The advisory for the city of Kagoshima covered almost the entire municipality.
In the town of Honjo in Kagoshima Prefecture, a hillside gave way, resulting in a landslide that hit the home of a 78-year-old woman. She was rescued by her husband and neighbors and admitted to hospital, but later died.
Comment: The same thing happened in 2011: Italy, Naples: Garbage Truck Swallowed by Sinkhole
Other past huge sinkholes in and around the city:
2015: Over 380 people evacuated in Naples, Italy after massive sinkhole opens up
2016: Two trees and a Renault disappear into huge sinkhole near Naples, Italy