Japan's northern Kyushu region hit by landslides, flooding caused by downpours

Heavy downpours triggered flooding and landslides in the northern Kyushu region of southwestern Japan early on Thursday morning. The peak of the heavy rain has now passed, but weather officials are calling for continued vigilance against the possibility of more landslides and rising river levels.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said a seasonal rain front and a low-pressure system brought the downpours. The agency said linear rain bands formed in Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures in the early hours of Thursday, and in Oita and Kumamoto prefectures around dawn.