The number of people killed in the huge landslides in western Japan has risen to 36 and with another seven still missing, authorities say.

Dozens of houses were buried when hillsides collapsed after torrential downpours in Hiroshima, television pictures showed, leaving rescuers to pick through the devastation for any signs of life.

A spokesman for Hiroshima Police told AFP the death toll was still climbing.

“The figures may change as the rescue efforts continue,” he warned.

The number of dead had risen rapidly from an initial four, which included a two-year-old boy.

Among the dead was a 53-year-old rescuer, who was killed by a secondary landslide after he had pulled five people to safety, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.