"torrential rain"

Torrential rain has affected about 3 million people in central Chinas Henan Province, with 33 reported dead and eight still missing as of 4 a.m. Thursday, local authorities said.

BERLIN - Devastating floods swept across a swath of western Europe on Thursday, engulfing whole villages in raging muddy brown waters, overturning cars and killing at least 63 people after a summer deluge at levels not seen in some areas for a century.

An evacuation notice was issued to about 250,000 people on Monday in Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned. Already hit by torrential rain due to a stationary rainy season front, the three prefectures saw more heavy precipitation on the day.