Death toll in Japan floods nears 200 as intense heat brings threat of disease

Intense heat and water shortages raised fears of disease outbreaks in flood-hit western Japan on Thursday 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 flood plains. The death toll rose to 195, with several dozen people still missing, the government said on Thursday.