Heavy rain lashes northeastern Japan, triggering floods, landslides

Heavy rain has continued to lash northeastern Japan and has triggered river flooding and landslides, prompting the weather agency to issue downpour warnings at the highest level in parts of Yamagata Prefecture on Thursday.The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the heavy rain emergency warnings for two municipalities in Yamagata -- Sakata and Yuza -- at around 1 p.m., while over 20,000 households in the areas and a third municipality, Shinjo, were urged by local governments to take immediate action to protect lives.The agency downgraded the highest-level warnings issued to Sakata and Yuza at…READ FULL ARTICLE