Japanese Prime Minister inspects flood-affected areas.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday inspected a flood-stricken city north of Tokyo, as rescue workers raced against time to search for more than a dozen missing people.

Yesterday, Mr. Abe visited the city of Joso, about 60 km from Tokyo, while approximately 2,000 soldiers, police officers, and firefighters were deployed to rescue more than 100 people still trapped in buildings, many of them patients and medical staff in a flooded hospital.

Yesterday, the Japanese Prime Minister inspected a section of the dike that had collapsed in Joso City, Ibaraki Prefecture. (Photo: Kyodo)

"We are doing everything we can to ensure safety by repairing the breached levee as quickly as possible to prevent this disaster from happening again," Abe said.

Many areas in Joso were swept away on September 10 when a section of the levee on the Kinugawa River broke, flooding an area of ​​32 square kilometers following the worst rains in decades. Aerial images showed homes being swept away by the raging waters, reminiscent of the tsunami that struck the northeastern coast of Japan four years ago. The city of Joso has a population of approximately 65,000.

Approximately 4,500 people have been forced to stay in 20 public facilities such as schools and sports arenas as the area has been without water and electricity for three consecutive nights. "We are trying to rescue those trapped in the buildings and find those who are missing, while also pumping out the water," a local official said. "However, high water levels in many areas are hindering our efforts."

The number of missing people in Joso has decreased from 22 to 15 after police yesterday found more survivors, including two 8-year-old children.

Meanwhile, an earthquake rocked Tokyo early this morning, injuring 15 people and causing minor damage to some buildings.

According to VNE