2 missing in landslide in northeastern Japan

A landslide occurred Saturday in northeastern Japan, destroying or damaging about 10 buildings and leaving two people missing, police and firefighters said.

Police requested that the Self-Defense Forces conduct search and rescue operations for the missing people who, according to some accounts, are in their 70s to 80s.

The landslide, measuring 20 to 30 meters in height and 100 meters in width, occurred at a mountain in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, shortly before 1 am.

About 80 police officers and firefighters were searching the area.

A man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s were rescued and taken to hospital, but they are not considered to be in a life-threatening condition, according to the police.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES