Historic flooding, landslides pose daunting task for Japanese rescuers as over 100 die

About 10,000 people have been evacuated in Hiroshima and surrounding villages.

July 9, 2018, 5:26 PM

Rescuers are hard at work searching for missing people after heavy rainfall and mudslides hit southwestern Japan.

Hiroshima and the surrounding villages were saturated with heavy rains and damaging mudslides Sunday, leaving 10,000 evacuated and over 100 dead.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned of a "race against time" to rescue flood victims as thousands of people were subjected to evacuation orders and tens of thousands remain without electricity and water.

PHOTO: Police arrive to clear debris scattered on a street in a flood hit area in Kumano, Hiroshima prefecture on July 9, 2018.
Police arrive to clear debris scattered on a street in a flood hit area in Kumano, Hiroshima prefecture on July 9, 2018.
Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images

Images from Hiroshima and Kumano show houses destroyed and cars buried in mud because of landslides and flooding.

PHOTO: Emergency services members work next to houses destroyed by a landslide on July 8, 2018 in Kumano near Hiroshima, Japan.
Emergency services members work next to houses destroyed by a landslide on July 8, 2018 in Kumano near Hiroshima, Japan.
Carl Court/Getty Images
PHOTO: Firefighters with rescue dogs search for missing people after heavy rain hit southwestern Japan, in Kumano town, Hiroshima prefecture, July 9, 2018.
Firefighters with rescue dogs search for missing people after heavy rain hit southwestern Japan, in Kumano town, Hiroshima prefecture, July 9, 2018.
Kyodo News via AP
PHOTO: Rescuers conduct a search operation for missing persons in Kumano town, Hiroshima prefecture, western Japan, July 9, 2018.
Rescuers conduct a search operation for missing persons in Kumano town, Hiroshima prefecture, western Japan, July 9, 2018.
Sadayuki Goto/AP
PHOTO: Rescuers conduct a search operation for missing persons in Kumano town, Hiroshima prefecture, western Japan Monday, July 9, 2018.
Rescuers conduct a search operation for missing persons in Kumano town, Hiroshima prefecture, western Japan Monday, July 9, 2018.
Sadayuki Goto/AP
PHOTO: Emergency teams rest outside of structural damage caused by heavy rains, July 9, 2018, in Hiroshima, Japan.
Emergency teams rest outside of structural damage caused by heavy rains, July 9, 2018, in Hiroshima, Japan.
Haruka Nuga/AP