Japan death toll could double as landslide fears halt rescue

The death toll from catastrophic landslides in western Japan could more than double, a police tally showed Friday, as fears of a fresh collapse temporarily halted the search for 47 people still missing. At least 40 people were killed and dozens of homes were destroyed when mountainsides gave way on the outskirts of Hiroshima before dawn Wednesday, sending tonnes of mud, rocks and debris crashing into suburban communities. Over 4,000 people have now been ordered to evacuate their homes as more rain pelted already soaked hillsides, adding to the misery caused by this week's record downpours. Firefighters, police and soldiers were forced to suspend search efforts on Friday afternoon when the shape of the mountains appeared to change, heralding a possible new landslip. ‘Operations in (two districts) were halted as mountains there were becoming misshapen,’ a Hiroshima police spokesman said. Rescuers have been ‘evacuated as there is a risk of a fresh landslide’, according to AFP.