Japan flood death toll rises to 30

TOKYO: The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Japan’s south has risen to 30, officials said on Thursday, while rescue workers continued their efforts to find survivors. Heavy seasonal rains last week caused severe flooding that tore up roads and destroyed houses on the southern island of Kyushu, with hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee their homes. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cancelled a visit to Estonia that was originally planned as the last leg of a European tour, flying to the region Wednesday to view the damage and console residents.