Troops team up to find missing persons in the northern Japan landslide

TOKYO (AP) — A landslide destroyed about a dozen homes in northern Japan on Saturday, leaving at least two people missing, and troops were on their way to help in the rescue effort, officials said.

Two people, a man, and a woman were rescued from their homes, which were buried in dirt, that had fallen down a nearby mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, northwestern Japan. More people were trapped under the rubble, however.

According to police, a rescue operation that involved 80 firefighters and officers started after a call was received asking for assistance shortly after midnight. Yamagata official Susumu Saito stated that the prefecture also sought rescue assistance from the Ministry of Defense.

“We don’t have word yet of their arrival, but an official request has been made,” he said.

As a precaution, some residents nearby have fled to a public place. Saito reported that at most two people are still missing.

According to police, the injuries sustained by the two rescuers were not serious.

Japan is often covered by mountains and susceptible to natural disasters, such as flooding or earthquakes. The news came as families are preparing to gather for New Year’s celebrations, Japan’s most important festival.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama