The point of origin for a mudslide in the Izusan district of Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, is seen in this image provided by the Shizuoka Prefectural Government.

       SHIZUOKA (Kyodo) -- The death toll from a large mudslide earlier this month in the hot spring resort of Atami southwest of Tokyo has risen to 15, with 14 others still missing, local authorities said Sunday.

       In addition to two deaths newly confirmed, rescuers found another body in the area hit by the mudslide on July 3, but it is not yet known whether the person's death was caused by the disaster, according to officials of Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture.

       About 1,300 police, firefighter and Self-Defense Forces personnel are continuing to search the site of the landslide, which experts believe was caused by soil heaped on a mountainside coming loose in heavy rainfall.

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