164,000 forced to evacuate in Japan due to rain

OSAKA - Heavy rain is continuously hitting Japan's Kyushu Island ?through Saturday morning, causing flooding of some rivers and forcing some 164,000 people from about 58,000 households to evacuate from their homes, local press reported.

In Fukuoka alone, around 121,000 people from 41,000 households were urged to evacuate, the report said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of heavy downpours of up to around 80 millimeters per hour in northern Kyushu.

The intense rain caused by an active front has drenched some areas of Kyushu since Wednesday. At least 20 people were killed and 7 missing in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures due to landslides or flooding triggered by the rain. Japanese weather officials said the heavy rain is unprecedented.