Highest level rain alert issued in southwest Japan

Japan's weather agency issued its highest level rain alert in parts of the country's southwest on Saturday, leading local authorities to instruct some 245,000 residents to take immediate safety measures.There were no reports of injuries or casualties. However, some buildings and roads were flooded in parts of Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.It was the first time that the agency has issued a level 5 torrential rain alert, the highest on its 5-tier scale, this year. The alert, however, was lowered to a warning, or level 3, in the afte…READ FULL ARTICLE