At least 35 people died Wednesday when landslides buried dozens of houses on the outskirts of Hiroshima, Japan.
Television footage showed residents and rescue workers searching the rubble of suburban homes for survivors.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered several hundred soldiers to the area to help with rescue efforts.
One local resident, whose name was not given, said he had to act quickly to escape his flooded home.
"I woke up in the middle of the night and the corridor to the living room of my house was already flooded. I heard the sound of water coming in, and then the water from the river rushed into my house, so I just took the car and rushed out of the house," he said.
The area received about 24 millimeters of rain -- about a month's worth -- within a 24-hour period, loosening hills already soaked by recent storms.
Forecasters warn that more rain is expected, saying there is a continued risk of flooding and landslides.
Landslides pose a major risk in crowded Japan, where many homes are built on or near steep slopes.
