22 missing in Japan's flood

The number of missing people due to a major flood in eastern Japan, where the Kinugawa River banks were breached, has reached 22, local media reported on Friday.

The Kinugawa River burst its banks over a span of approximately 140 meters Thursday afternoon, flooding an area with some 6,500 homes stretching across roughly 32 square km in Joso city, Ibaraki Prefecture, which is located some 50 km north of Tokyo.

Hundreds of people were left stranded overnight awaiting rescue at home or in commercial buildings in inundated areas.

Mayor of Joso city Toru Takasugi told a press conference on Friday morning that the number of people unaccounted for stood at 22 as of 5 a.m. local time, and the city officials are struggling to confirm the safety of the missing residents.

Rescuers, including members from the Metropolitan Police Department and Japanese Self-Defense Forces, are also continuing operations to rescue local residents.

In nearby Tochigi Prefecture, flooded rivers and mudslides were reported, killing one person and leaving another critically injured. Endi