2 killed as Typhoon Nanmadol slams into Japan; Million residents told to evacuate

Tokyo, Sep 20: In Japan, millions of people in the country were under evacuation warnings as Typhoon 'Nanmadol' brought strong winds and heavy rain to the southwest of the country after making landfall overnight. The powerful system has weakened since arriving on land Sunday evening around Kagoshima city in the southwestern region of Kyushu.

National broadcaster NHK said two person had been killed and 50 others injured as the storm passed through Kyushu. There was no immediate confirmation of the figures from authorities. Official sources said, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who had been scheduled to leave for the United Nations General Assembly today, will delay his trip by a day to check on damage from the storm.

Another man was declared dead after being pulled out of a car submerged in flooded farmland in Miyazaki prefecture, according to local authorities.

According to a Miyazaki prefectural official, a man in his 40s was reported missing after a landslide destroyed his cabin.

The 14th typhoon of the year was moving near Hagi, Yamaguchi prefecture, on Monday afternoon, at a speed of some 20 km per hour.

It had an atmospheric pressure of 975 hectopascals at its centre, packing winds up to 108 kmph with maximum gusts of 162 kph.

More than 70 people were injured amid the extreme weather, with bullet trains suspended in Kyushu on Monday and around 600 flights cancelled by the country's two main airlines ANA and Japan Airlines, the local media reports said.

The typhoon is expected to travel across Japan's largest island, Honshu, through Tuesday, with the Japan Meteorological Agency continuing to issue warnings for strong winds, high tides and mudslides.

Tens of thousands of people spent Sunday night in emergency shelters, and almost 350,000 homes are without power.