KURASHIKI, Japan—Intense heat and water shortages raised fears of disease outbreaks in flood-hit western Japan on July 12 as the death toll from the worst weather disaster in 36 years neared 200.
More than 200,000 households had no water a week after torrential rains caused floods and set off landslides across western Japan, bringing death and destruction to decades-old communities built on mountain slopes and floodplains.
