Searches continued Sunday night for victims of heavy rainfall that hammered southern Japan for 3 days in row.
The government put the death toll at 48, with 28 others presumed dead, AP reported. However, media reports and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said the overall death toll is at least 69 on Sunday after floodwaters forced several million people from their homes.
"Rescue efforts are a battle with time," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.
"The rescue teams are doing their utmost."
The assessment of casualties has been difficult due to the vast area affected by the rainfall and flooding, as well as landslides.
According to AP, authorities warned that landslides could strike even after rain subsides as the calamity shaped up to be potentially the worst in decades.
