Japan rescuers dig through rubble as more rain falls, at least 11 dead

Policemen and members of self-defence forces take part in search operations at a damaged area in the village of Toho, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo on July 7, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

ASAKURA, Japan (Reuters) - Thousands of Japanese rescuers searched on Friday for victims of freak rains that have killed at least 11 people and left hundreds cut off from the outside world by landslides.

Torrential rain hit southwest Japan on Wednesday and was still moving north on Friday.

Destroyed houses are seen at an area hit by heavy rain at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

According to the latest figure, more than 140,000 people were under orders to evacuate their homes while authorities issued new warnings of landslides across the island of Kyushu.

Parts of Fukuoka prefecture were hit by 600.5 mm (24 inches) of rain in the 48 hours to 10:40 a.m. on Friday (0140 GMT), more than 1.5 times the usual rain for the month, the meteorological agency said.

Eleven people had been killed while 14 were unaccounted for, public broadcaster NHK said.

Local residents cross a destroyed road that is partially covered in floodwater as they evacuate from an isolated area at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

"It came in from the back," one man told NHK as he gazed at his house, shattered by a surge of mud and wood.

"The whole area has been buried. There aren't any words for this," the man said in a quivering voice.

About 12,300 soldiers, policemen and firemen clambered across expanses of debris of splintered wood and mud hoping to reach about 500 people cut off by landslides, NHK reported.

Local residents cross a destroyed road that is partially covered in floodwater as they evacuate from an isolated area at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Large boulders and uprooted trees blocked streets as residents with heavy bags picked their way carefully through their neighborhoods.

"At first, it wasn't raining that much," said Sumie Umeyo, a resident of Asakura city.

"But they spoke of record-breaking rain and it started raining heavily, then they began closing the roads. We looked outside and the roads were like rivers," Umeyo said.

Debris that were swept by heavy rain are seen inside Masue elementary school, where local residents were temporary evacuated to, at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Fukuoka and neighboring Oita, the hardest hit areas, are both largely rural but rivers were also rising in the city of Kitakyushu, which has a population of some 950,000 and issued evacuation orders for several districts.

The rain was caused by a low pressure area over the Pacific that fed warm, moist air into Japan's seasonal rainy front.

Rescue workers involved in search operations are seen in the village of Toho, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo on July 7, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

(Writing by Elaine Lies; Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Paul Tait, Robert Birsel)

Damage vehicles are seen at an area hit by heavy rain at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Local residents walk past a soccer goalpost surrounded by debris and mud which were swept by heavy rain at the playground of Masue elementary school, where local residents were temporary evacuated to, at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Family portraits are displayed inside destroyed houses at an area hit by heavy rain at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Debris which were swept by heavy rain are seen inside a gymnasium at Masue elementary school, where local residents were temporary evacuated to, at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Damaged cars are seen at Masue elementary school, where local residents were temporary evacuated to, at an area hit by heavy rain at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A page from a student yearbook, which is stained with mud, is seen at an area hit by heavy rain at Haki district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A rescue worker walks on wooden debris which were swept away caused by heavy rain as rescue workers search missing people near a damages house at Yamada district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A local resident walks in an area damaged by swollen river after heavy rain in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Local residents react as they watch search and rescue operation by rescue workers in front of their damaged house at Yamada district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A police officer conducts search and rescue operation in the rain at an area hit by heavy rain at Yamada district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Local residents try to remove their belongings from their damaged house at an area hit by heavy rain at Yamada district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

Rescue workers conduct search and rescue operation in the heavy rain near a damaged house at an area hit by heavy rain at Yamada district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A rescue worker walks on wooden debris which were swept away by heavy rain as rescue workers search for missing people near a damaged house at Yamada district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A local resident walks on wooden debris which were swept away by heavy rain as rescue workers search for missing people near a damaged house at Yamada district in Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Issei Kato