Rain halts spread of wildfire in Japan

Rain appears to have halted the spread of Japan's worst wildfire in more than half a century, officials said on March 6, as residents expressed relief the smoke was gone.

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TOKYO -

The blaze had raged around the northern city of Ofunato for more than a week, killing one person and forcing more than 4,500 residents to evacuate their homes.

"Thanks in part to the rain, the situation has subsided to an extent," Ofunato Mayor Kiyoshi Fuchigami told a regular briefing.

"We realise many residents are aching to return home," he said, adding that evacuation orders would be lifted when safety was confirmed.

Several columns of white smoke and fire sources persisted during the day, officials said.

"The fires have not been fully put out yet," another Ofunato official told the briefing.