300,000 Homes To Evacuate As Japan Typhoon Hits

Typhoon Man-yi hit central Japan Monday, with almost 300,000 households told to evacuate and fears the storm could go on to hit the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

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The typhoon made landfall in Toyohashi, Aichi prefecture, shortly before 8:00 am, packing gusts of up to 162 kilometres per hour, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Public broadcaster NHK said four people were missing due to landslides or floods, while at least 65 people were injured and more than 860 houses flooded.

The typhoon was moving north-northeast at a speed of 55 kmh, with the eye of the storm passing within 50 kilometres north of the capital at around noon.

The meteorological agency issued the highest alert for “possibly unprecedented heavy rain” in Kyoto and neighbouring prefectures, while Kyoto and other local authorities advised a total of some 291,000 households to evacuate.