Landslides struck Japan's Hiroshima prefecture

Landslides struck Hiroshima’s prefecture in western Japan on 20 August 2014 and killed at least 36 people and several are missing. The landslides happened in the residential area of the city's Asaminami and Asakita wards near a mountain in Hiroshima city outskirts.

The mudslide caused by the landslide buried several houses of the area and swept away some people. The rescue team is working hard to rescue people affected by the landslides.

Cause of the landslide
The landslide was triggered due to torrential rain that fell in 24 hours and sparked flooding in the city of Hiroshima. On the other hands, the weather officials have warned that more rain could trigger further landslides. Geography of Central and Southern Japan is mountainous and is composed of weathered granite soil which becomes brittle during heavy rainfall. Thus the landslide occurs in the area. The last landslide that struck the city of Hiroshima was in June 1999 and several people were killed in the incident.

The previous landslide struck Izu Oshima Island in South of Tokyo in 2013. This landslide was triggered by a typhoon that struck the area and killed at least 35 people.