Powerful mudslide leaves two dead and 20 people missing near Tokyo as buildings swept away
3 July 2021, 08:07 | Updated: 4 July 2021, 09:40
Two people have been killed and at least 20 others are missing after a powerful mudslide swept away houses near Tokyo.
Television footage shows the black mudslide on a mountainside knocking down and crushing buildings as neighbours watch in horror.
People can be seen running as structures and debris are swept away.
Some recorded the devastation on their phones.
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Disaster management officials said the mudslide happened on Saturday morning in Atami, west of Tokyo, which is known for its hot springs.
Official Takamichi Sugiyama said on Saturday that rescue workers are looking for 19 people and that some are thought to have evacuated. No other details were immediately known.
It was later confirmed that two people had died and 20 others were missing.
The slide follows heavy rain across Japan earlier in the week, which increased the risk of landslides.
