Japanese weather officials are warning that the risk of natural disasters could sharply increase in Akita as they expect record-breaking rain to hit the northeastern prefecture.

Forecasters at the Japan Weather Association say the forecast in the Tohoku region calls for heavy rain in Akita prefecture over the next few days.

They say that, during 48 hours through Sunday, Akita is expected to receive up to around 400 millimeters of rain.

The officials say the forecast amount is almost equivalent to rainfall that hit Akita in July 2017 when heavy rain brought by the seasonal front caused rivers to overflow and other types of flooding.

They predict that some parts of the prefecture could receive rainfall that is 1.5 times the record-high figure observed in the areas in the past 20 years.

The officials say that exceeding the 1.5-times threshold tends to mark a considerable increase in the number of casualties.

They are also calling on people in neighboring Iwate and Aomori prefectures to tune in to weather updates, citing uncertainty in the forecast of front locations and areas of rain.

A director at the weather association, Honma Motohiro, warned that even smaller rainfall could cause a disaster in some areas because the susceptibility to floods and landslides differs in each region.

He urges residents to be prepared by checking hazard maps and the risk of flooding, and confirm evacuation routes.