51 injured as typhoon dumps heavy rain on Japan

TOKYO: Typhoon Noru dumped heavy rain on Japan yesterday as it moved back out to sea, causing flooding and property damage, while the number of injured reportedly rose to 51.

After making landfall in western Japan the previous day, the storm packing winds of up to 108km per hour ploughed across the main island of Honshu.

The typhoon was 40km off the coast of northern Niigata prefecture by 1pm yesterday, slowly moving towards the northeast, the meteorological agency said. The storm earlier killed two people on outlying islands on Saturday.

Public broadcaster NHK said the number of people injured in accidents related to the typhoon had reached 51.

Aerial footage showed a flooded river in western Japan’s Shiga prefecture, while houses, rice paddies and roads were submerged.

On Saturday, a man in his 60s, on the southern island of Yakushima, died after falling in strong gusts generated by Noru and hitting his head.

Another man in his 80s, on neighbouring Tanegashima island, drowned the same day after he went to check on his boat and was swept into the water.

Sixty-five flights were cancelled yesterday due to Noru. AFP