By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
All-time highest rainfall triggered deadly mudslides in southern parts of Japan's Kyushu Island the first few days of July, and more flooding rain is threatening the country.
Rainfall from Monday to Wednesday totaled 21.42 inches (554.0 mm) in Nichinan City in Miyazaki Prefecture, shattering the previous all-time three-day record of 18.01 inches (457.5 mm) from Oct. 30, 2017.
On Wednesday alone, several locations in Kagoshima Prefecture registered the most rain ever to pour down in one day. This included Kanoya, where 18.60 inches (472.5 mm) exceeded the previous all-time wettest calendar day of 15.87 inches (403 mm) from Sept. 6, 2005.
Rainfall from Monday to Wednesday at Kanoya totaled 25.26 inches (641.5 mm), shattering the July three-day record of 20.08 inches (510 mm) from July 7, 1993.
Records were also broken in southern Kyushu and south-central Honshu Island for the most amount of rain to fall in an hour during the month of July. A total of 3.03 inches (77 mm) inundated Toshima village on Wednesday morning, breaking the old July one-hour record of 2.89 inches (73.5 mm) from three years ago.
Two women were killed in separate incidents of homes being buried by mudslides in Kagoshima Prefecture, according to Xinhua.
Flooding and mudslides across southern Japan have damaged nearly 80 homes and left about 1,700 other homes without power. Four people have sustained injuries, the AP reported.
Kagoshima Governor Satoshi Mitazono mobilized the Self-Defense forces to assist with disaster relief, according to the Japan Times.
More than 1 million people were ordered to evacuate southern Kyushu due to the life-threatening flooding rain. This included the entire populations of three cities in Kagoshima Prefecture.
"While much-needed drier air is filtering across western Japan, residents of southern Kyushu should remain vigilant of additional landslides with the soil extremely overly saturated and unstable," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
Meanwhile, southern Honshu will remain at risk for flooding rain and mudslides through Saturday evening.
Rainfall totals of 3-6 inches (75-150 mm) are expected from far southern Wakayama to Chiba prefectures with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 12 inches (300 mm) in the higher terrain.
Totals will average 2-3 inches (50-75 mm) around Tokyo, leading to flash flooding in poor drainage and low-lying areas.
"Air travelers should prepare for delays on Saturday, especially later in the day and evening when the heaviest rain will pour down," said Pydynowski.
Southern Honshu may be spared Saturday's round of heavy rain and disruptions if the storm tracks farther to the south than expected.
This weekend will not be the end of flooding problems for Japan as moisture from once-Tropical Storm Mun may be pulled across the country around the middle of next week, bringing another round of heavy rainfall.
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