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176 confirmed dead after heavy rainstorms in western Japan, dozens still missing

Click to play video: 'Japan flood survivors face uncertain future as floodwaters recede'
Japan flood survivors face uncertain future as floodwaters recede
WATCH: Japan struggled on Tuesday to restore utilities after its worst weather disaster in 36 years killed 155 people, with survivors facing health risks from broiling temperatures and a lack of water, while rescuers kept up a grim search for victims – Jul 10, 2018

Japan’s government says 176 people have been confirmed dead after last week’s heavy rains in western Japan as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits a hard-hit city.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday that Abe would visit an evacuation centre in Kurashiki, a city where a river broke through an embankment and swept through residential areas, killing more than 40 people.

READ MORE: Death toll climbs to more than 150 in Japan after devastating flooding

Tens of thousands of rescue and recovery workers and volunteers are digging through the debris, as the search for dozens still missing enters its fifth day.

Record-setting rainfall caused severe flooding and landslides, toppling and burying homes across a wide area. Most of the deaths were in Hiroshima and the surrounding area.

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