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| High waves triggered by typhoon nanmadol are seen at A fishing port in AKI, KOCHI PERFECTURE, WESTERN JAPAN |
Two people have died and thousands are without power, with authorities warning 6 million people to evacuate
Two people were killed and more than 100 injured after Typhoon Nanmadol hit Japan on Monday, bringing torrential rain, paralyzing traffic and leaving tens of thousands of homes without power.
The heaviest rain was seen on the southern island of Kyushu, where two people were killed, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, before the typhoon was downgraded to a tropical storm before reaching the Pacific Ocean.
One of the victims was found inside his submerged car on farmland in the town of Miyakonojo, and the other was recovered from under a mudslide in Mimata.
One person was missing in Hiroshima Prefecture, and 115 others were injured in western Japan, the offical's said. A large portion of the wounds were minor, from individuals falling in rainstorms, being hit by broken windows or flying items.
About six million people were still under evacuation warnings and officials cautioned against complacency, warning that even a little extra rain could trigger flooding and landslides in some areas.
About 130,000 homes, mostly in the Kyushu region, were without power Tuesday morning. At one point, many convenience stores were closed and some supply lines were disrupted.
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| Typhoon nanmadol from space |
Most transportation was back to normal on Tuesday, the first day back at work for many after a three-day weekend. Bullet train and most ground transportation services continued, but many flights were grounded in northeastern Japan.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said on Tuesday that the tropical storm had moved off the northern Japanese coast into the Pacific Ocean.
While the meteorological agency warned of a potentially devastating typhoon, which brought gusts of up to 234 km (145 mph) to the coast, damage appeared relatively limited.
"The typhoon has disappeared today and the rain and wind are easing now," said a crisis management official in the southwestern town of Saito.
But residents in the area said they had left their homes as the storm approached, fearing the worst. "I came to the hotel to take shelter because the wind was blowing and I thought it was dangerous," said Yasuta Yamaguchi, a resident of Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture. "I didn't feel safe at home."
Officials of the meteorological department say that the storm seems to have lost much of its intensity. "Dense clouds and the eye area around the typhoon's center have already disappeared and it is weakening rapidly," JMA forecast unit chief Ryota Korora told reporters.
Japan experiences about 20 typhoons a year, especially in autumn, and there are regular heavy rains that cause landslides and flash floods.
Experts have warned that typhoons are moving too slowly and causing more damage across Japan in September, a trend attributed to global warming.
In 2019, Typhoon Hagibes hit the country during the hosting of the Rugby World Cup, killing more than 100 people and forcing the cancellation of several pool matches. A year ago, Typhoon Jebi closed Kansai Airport in Osaka, killing 14 people.
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