Typhoon Dujuan leaves four dead, 45,000 houses without power in Japan
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The typhoon moved away from Japan’s coast, allowing the authorities to lift most heavy rain and landslide warnings.
PHOTO: REUTERS
TOKYO – Typhoon Dujuan left at least four people dead and 22 injured in Japan, while thousands of houses near Tokyo remained without power after the storm swept through the region, the authorities said on Sept 22.
The typhoon moved away from Japan’s coast and out into the Pacific by morning, allowing the authorities to lift or downgrade most heavy rain and landslide warnings.
Dujuan had already led to the early closure in the capital of one of the world’s biggest video game trade fairs.
Japan often sees strong typhoons in the late summer and early autumn, with other storms this season disrupting some events at the Asian Games being held in the country.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said three people died in Chiba prefecture and one in Kanagawa region, both near Tokyo.
Search operations were continuing for six people missing after landslides triggered by torrential rain, according to public broadcaster NHK.
More than 45,000 households in Chiba near Tokyo were still without electricity in the afternoon of Sept 22, while over 460 houses were damaged.
Although Dujuan weakened as it moved north-east, it dumped record rainfall in parts of the Tokyo area.
Oshima, an island about 120km south of central Tokyo, recorded 832mm of rain over 48 hours, more than double its average rainfall for the whole of September, NHK reported.
Rainfall in Tokyo’s Edogawa Ward reached a record 282.5mm over 24 hours.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying the risk posed by heavy rains because a warmer atmosphere holds more water. AFP
