TOKYO — Helicopters plucked dozens of residents from the tops of their homes in Japan on Thursday, but rescue officials said they were unable to keep up with all the pleas for help after raging floodwaters swamped parts of a city north of the capital.
As heavy rain pummelled Japan for a second straight day, the Kinugawa River broke through a flood berm, sending a wall of water into Joso, about 50 kilometres northeast of Japan's capital.
National broadcaster NHK showed aerial footage of rescuers lowered from helicopters and clambering onto second-floor balconies to reach stranded residents. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
In one dramatic scene, the rescuer could be seen descending four times from a military helicopter over a 20-minute period to lift four people one-by-one, as a deluge of water swept around their home.