Tens of thousands urged to evacuate as heavy rain hits Japan

A road is damaged by the swollen Suzuhari river in heavy rain in Hiroshima, western Japan, on Aug. 13, 2021. - Kyodo News via AP

TOKYO (AFP): Tens of thousands of people were urged to evacuate on Friday (Aug 13) as "unprecedented" levels of torrential rain hit western Japan, raising the risk of floods and landslides, the weather agency said.

The downpours are forecast to continue for several days over a large swathe of the country, from the northern Tohoku region to Kyushu in the south.