Japan floods leave 48 people dead and dozens missing

(CNN)Flooding killed at least 48 people and forced 2 million others to flee their homes Saturday as heavy rain pounded large areas in southwestern Japan.

At least 51 people have been injured and another 36 people are missing, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan.

People wait to be rescued on the roof of a house in Kurashiki, Okayama prefecture.

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed or damaged. In all, eight prefectures have been affected, including Kyoto and Hiroshima.

The Japan Meteorological Agency upgraded its alert system to the highest level in large areas of western Japan, while lifting the warning in other regions.

Japanese military personnel evacuate residents in Kurashiki, Okayama prefecture.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported about 364 millimeters (14.3 inches) of rain fell between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. in the city of Uwajima -- approximately 1.5 times the average monthly rainfall for July.

In Sukumo City in Kochi prefecture, 263 millimeters (10.3 inches) of rain fell in two hours, NHK reported.

Heavy rains caused highway erosion in Hiroshima.

Heavy rain was forecast to continue through Sunday in the west and the east, agency official Minako Sakurai told reporters.

At least 4 million people have been advised to evacuate surrounding areas. Government officials are warning people in affected areas they are at risk for landslides, flooding, wind gusts and other extreme weather conditions

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com