The death toll in flooding and landslides in 12 prefectures in western Japan has risen to 157, with at least 80 more people missing and rescue teams combing through shattered towns in search of survivors.

The prefectures of Hiroshima and Okayama have been the worst affected by flooding and landslips, triggered by torrential rains on Friday and Saturday.

Several towns in the region have reported more than 23 inches of rain in the space of 18 hours, causing rivers to burst their banks, inundating low-lying areas and destabilising hillsides. The town of Umaji, in Kochi Prefecture, recorded more than 47 inches of rain in the space of 72 hours.

Landslides have caused devastation in mountain communities, destroying homes, roads and railways. At the height of the crisis, two million people were told to evacuate their homes and take shelter in community centres, schools and hospitals.