Scores of people were killed in Japan when landslides slammed into the western city of Hiroshima. At least ten others were reported missing.<br /><br />Helicopters lifted out survivors as rescuers searched through mud and debris in residential areas.<br /><br />Torrential rain caused landslides that pushed rivers of mud through people’s homes.<br /><br />“All we could do was gather as a family and try to escape,” said one woman. “The flow of mud coming into the house was quite strong.”<br /><br />“When I realised what was happening, there was mud flowing around and cars were being washed away, then everything started sliding away,” said another local resident.<br /><br />The force of the landslide crumbled roads, while the force of mud ripped through residential areas turning some houses into piles of wreckage.<br /><br />Around one month’s of rain fell in 24 hours up to Wednesday morning. Roughly half of that was dumped in just one hour.<br /><br />Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is sending several hundred military personnel to help with rescue efforts.<br /><br />He has cut short his summer holiday to return to Tokyo.
