Typhoon Malakas has caused severe flooding in parts of southern Japan over the last 24 hours.
Malakas made landfall in Kyushu in the early hours of 20 September, bringing winds of up to 180 km per hour as well as torrential rain.
According to figures from Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), 445 mm of rain was recorded at Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture, in a 24 hour period between 19 and 20 September. Almost 80 mm of rain fell in 1 hour from around 23:00 on 19 September. The town of Takanabe saw 123 mm fall in two hours between 19:00 and 21:00 on 19 September. In total, Takanabe recorded 310 mm in 24 hours to 09:00 on 20 September. The city of Miyazaki recorded 370 mm in 24 hours.
The storm disrupted air, road and railway transport, and prompted local authorities to issue evacuation advisories for more than 600,000 residents in 6 prefectures. It is not clear how many people followed the advisories. Power outages affected more than 30,000 buildings.
Six people had to be rescued from flooded buildings. Streets and farmland were flooded and roads washed out. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported.
Malakas has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, although some further heavy rain is expected and red level weather warnings from JMA remain in place for parts of central Japan.
Malakas is expected to head northeast along Japan’s Pacific coast before going out into the Pacific Ocean by early Wednesday morning, when it will likely be downgraded to a depression.
Malakas is the sixth to make landfall this year in Japan. At least 11 people died in Japan earlier this month amid disruptions brought by Typhoon Lionrock.
Lionrock was also thought to have caused the torrential rain and flooding currently affecting northern areas of North Korea.
