TOKYO, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains are expected across a wide swath of Japan from east to west, the weather agency said Thursday, warning of landslides and flooding.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned against landslides in the northern part of Kyushu, the country's southwestern main island, as well as heightened risk of flooding in low-lying areas and rising water levels in rivers in eastern and western Japan.
Torrential downpours are expected mostly in western Japan as a warm, damp air mass flowed into low-pressure systems and a seasonal rain front stalled over the country, the JMA said.
Rainfall is expected to reach up to 80 millimeters in northern and southern Kyushu, the Kinki region centering on Osaka Prefecture, and the Kanto-Koshin region including Tokyo within a 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m. local time on Friday.
Rainfall during the period could exceed projections in areas where rainbands form, the agency added. ■
