Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto on July 13 to inspect the extent of damage from floods and landslides caused by the recent torrential rains, the government said July 12. 

He will visit the Senjuen elderly care facility in the village of Kuma and an evacuation center in the city of Hitoyoshi.

At the elderly care facility, 14 people died from the flooding of the Kuma river.

The total death toll from the floods and mudslides reached 66 as of July 10,  according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The Prime Minister plans to exchange opinions with the Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture Ikuo Kabashima.

This will be the first time that Abe visits the region that was devastated by the latest heavy rain and flooding disaster.

The floods were Japan’s worst natural disaster since Typhoon Hagibis in October last year that left about 90 people dead.

JIJI Press