Fatal Flooding Drenches Southwest

Heavy rains and flash floods swept southwestern Japan, killing at least 18 people, destroying 37 homes and flooding about 5,000 others, grounding flights and shutting down train lines and highways, police said. Nineteen people were missing. NHK-TV reported that at least 22 people were killed. Hardest hit was Hiroshima prefecture, where at least 14 people were dead, 17 were missing and another 17 were injured, the National Police Agency said. The rain clouds were moving northeastward, and the Meteorological Agency issued warnings to the east and north.