Officials say at least 25 people have died and thousands of others remain cut off by floods and mudslides triggered by torrential rains in southern Japan. Evacuation orders issued a day earlier for a quarter of a million people were lifted in most areas Sunday as the rains subsided,allowing many people to return home. But thousands remained cut off by landslides or fallen trees that blocked roads in mountainous areas. Local officials said 21 people died in hardest-hit Kumamoto prefecture. Four others died in nearby Oita and Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu. Seven others remained missing. Most victims were in their 70s and 80s. Japanese troops were airlifting supplies to thousands of people trapped in mountainous districts cut off by floods on the southern island of Kyushu. Rescue teams have been searching for those missing following flooding and landslides caused by record rainfall. Houses in Kyoto,Japans old capital,also were flooded. The Meteorological Agency said the worst was over but predicted more rain through Monday. Some 2,50,000 people had been ordered to leave their homes in the prefectures of Fukuoka,Saga,Kumamoto and Oita. In Fukuoka prefecture alone,about 1,90,000 people from 65,000 households were issued the order,with the entire area of cities of Yanagawa,Yame and Miyama to be evacuated.
