Death toll rises as rescue efforts continue in Japan

The death toll in Japan from flooding and landslides has risen to at least 155 people, as responders navigate damaged roads to continue rescue efforts and deliver aid. Heavy rainfall last week led to the deadly floods and landslides in the country’s western region. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga confirmed the number of people dead and said that more than 50 others remained unaccounted for by Tuesday afternoon. Rescuers continued to comb through mud-covered debris searching for survivors. Impassable roads also delayed aid delivery, especially in some of the more isolated regions. “No water, no food, nothing gets here,” Ichiro Tanabe, a 73-year-old resident of the port city of Kure, told the Minichi newspaper. In another town in Ehime prefecture, residents said the disaster cut off all of their water supply. Suga said the government allocated $18 million to speed up supply deliveries and other forms of support to the affected regions.