The results of the landslide and mudslide, which occurred on July 3 in
the Japanese seaside resort of Atami, rose to 15 dead, a local official said on Sunday, adding that 14 residents were still missing.
“Two more people were confirmed dead over the weekend and the number of victims now stands at 15,” said local disaster management spokesman Yuta Hara.
Torrential rains
Fourteen people are still missing, added the official. Dozens of homes had been washed away by a landslide and a massive mudslide in this small coastal town in central Japan. The tragedy had occurred after several days of torrential rains in Atami, a town on the mountainside located about a hundred kilometers southwest of Tokyo.
Much of Japan was then in the middle of the rainy season which often causes floods and landslides. Scientists say the phenomenon is exacerbated by climate change as a warmer atmosphere holds more water, increasing the risk and intensity of extreme precipitation.