AT LEAST 36 people died in Japan today when landslides triggered by torrential rain smothered the outskirts of Hiroshima.

Another seven people were reported missing after a month’s worth of rain fell in one night, loosening slopes already saturated by heavy rain over the past few weeks.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 15 people had been injured, two seriously as rain-sodden slopes collapsed in torrents of mud, rock and debris.

Rescue workers hung from helicopters on ropes to pull out victims while others searched through mud and piles of stones in residential areas about three miles from the city centre.

About nine inches of rain fell in the area in the 24 hours up to yesterday morning, about half of that falling in just one hour, the Meteorological Agency said. 

The agency issued warnings that more rain could trigger more landslides and flooding throughout the day.