The 24-hour rainfall in parts of the city of Kirishima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, surpassed 500 millimeters, nearly double the amount of rain that normally falls during the entire month of August.

From the early hours of August 8, multiple linear rain bands were developing over Kagoshima, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a heavy rain emergency warning for Kirishima.

This is the highest of five levels of alert against heavy rain in Japan.

Agency officials are calling on people in affected areas to seek safety such as taking refuge in buildings as far away as possible from streams or cliffs and moving to higher areas that are less likely to flood.

They said downpours are expected in the southern Kyushu region through August 9 as the rain front is likely to remain in the area.

The officials urged caution also in areas where the heavy rain emergency warning has not been issued but where local governments have recommended that residents evacuate.