Akita: One person was found dead in Akita Prefecture on Sunday as heavy rain continued to pound the Tohoku northeastern Japan region due to a seasonal rain front.

The man was found inside a submerged car in a farm field in the Akita town of Gojome Sunday morning. Several rivers flooded in the prefecture where heavy rain started Saturday.

Mudslide warnings were issued for parts of Akita, Iwate and Yamagata prefectures. About 171,800 residents of Akita were ordered to evacuate.

Five municipalities in Akita, including the city of Akita and Gojome, remained under an emergency alert urging residents to ensure their safety.

The city of Akita had a rainfall of 410.5 millimeters in the 48 hours through 11:40 a.m. local time, a record for the area.

Services on a section of the Akita Shinkansen bullet train line will remain suspended throughout Sunday, according to operator East Japan Railway Co.

JIJI Press