At least 25 people have died in Japan in the wake of a powerful typhoon. Around 3,600 others were left stranded by flooded rivers, landslides and collapsed bridges as Typhoon Talas hit coastal areas over the weekend.
Rains and wind were recorded across wide swathes of Japan’s main island, but no significant damage was reported in the north east, which is still recovering from the tsunami and earthquake that left nearly 21,000 dead or unaccounted for earlier this year.
Typhoon Talas, which was later downgraded to a tropical storm, hit coastal areas with destructive winds and record-setting rains over the weekend. It caused most damage on the Kii Peninsula, in central Japan south west of Tokyo.
Evacuation orders or advisories were issued to 460,000 people as the typhoon approached. The typhoon was believed to be the worst to hit Japan since 2004, when 98 people were killed or reported missing.
More on Typhoon Talas
- Typhoon Talas kills 20 and strands thousands (New York Times)
- Typhoon leaves 26 dead and dozens missing (Telegraph)