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Japan Typhoon Wipha kills 14 people Japan Typhoon Wipha kills 17 people
(about 4 hours later)
At least 14 people have been killed after a powerful typhoon passed close to the Japanese capital, reports say. At least 17 people have been killed after a powerful typhoon lashed Japan's eastern coast.
Typhoon Wipha caused landslides and flooding on Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo. An island south of Tokyo, Izu Oshima, was worst hit by Typhoon Wipha, suffering landslides and flooding.
Many people died when houses collapsed or were buried in mudslides. Two were found dead near a river. Many people died when houses collapsed or were buried in mudslides. At least 50 people remain unaccounted for.
At the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, operators pumped out rain water from around storage tanks holding contaminated water. Work to protect the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant was carried out but the operators say it appears to have escaped the worst of the storm.
In Tokyo, flights were cancelled, bullet train services suspended and schools closed.In Tokyo, flights were cancelled, bullet train services suspended and schools closed.
"It is the strongest typhoon in 10 years to pass the Kanto [Tokyo area] region," Hiroyuki Uchida, the Japan Meteorological Agency's chief forecaster, told journalists on Tuesday."It is the strongest typhoon in 10 years to pass the Kanto [Tokyo area] region," Hiroyuki Uchida, the Japan Meteorological Agency's chief forecaster, told journalists on Tuesday.
Typhoon Wipha has now been downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves north-east.
'Crackling sound''Crackling sound'
The storm brought strong winds and record rainfall - 122mm (4.8 inches) in one hour on Wednesday morning - to Izu Oshima island, which lies some 120km (75 miles) south of Tokyo. The storm brought strong winds and record rainfall on Wednesday morning.
Officials on the island said that 13 bodies had found and more than 50 people were unaccounted for. Nearly 5 inches (12cm) of rainfall fell in just one hour on Izu Oshima island, some 120km (75 miles) south of Tokyo.
"We have no idea how bad the extent of damage could be," town official Hinani Uematsu said. The storm sent large volumes of earth down mountainsides and caused rivers to burst their banks.
Local media described mud and debris strewn around houses. Television footage showed the remains of wooden homes buried in mud and covered in debris.
"I heard a crackling sound and then the trees on the hillside all fell over," a woman on the island told national broadcaster NHK television. "Then mud slid as far as the house.""I heard a crackling sound and then the trees on the hillside all fell over," a woman on the island told national broadcaster NHK television. "Then mud slid as far as the house."
Japanese media said the death toll had risen to 16 but 51 people remained unaccounted for on Izu Oshima.
Rescuers were struggling to access many areas, local reports said.Rescuers were struggling to access many areas, local reports said.
"City hall and fire station officials are doing rescue work in places accessible," a local official told AFP news agency. "City hall and fire officials are doing rescue work in places that are accessible," a local official told AFP news agency.
Extra police officers and soldiers as well as helicopters have been sent to the island - a popular tourist destination with more than 8,000 residents - to help with the rescue effort.
In Tokyo, a woman died after falling in a river and a search was under way for two young boys last seen on a beach, reports said.In Tokyo, a woman died after falling in a river and a search was under way for two young boys last seen on a beach, reports said.
Around 400 domestic and international flights were also cancelled in the capital, Kyodo news agency said. About 400 domestic and international flights were also cancelled in the capital, Kyodo news agency said.
Nearly 20,000 people were ordered to evacuate and thousands of schools shut as a result of the typhoon, Reuters news agency reported. Nearly 20,000 people were ordered to leave and thousands of schools shut as a result of the typhoon, Reuters news agency reported.
Typhoon Wipha was expected to move north-east and weaken over the course of the day. Around midday (03:00 GMT), the typhoon passed close to Fukushima, where contaminated water used to cool reactor cores is being stored in temporary tanks.
Around midday it passed close to the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, where contaminated water used to cool reactor cores is being stored in temporary tanks. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company said it had to pump out rain water from around the storage tanks, but added that its radiation readings were within a safe limit.
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company said on Tuesday that it had made "preparations for proper management of contaminated water" and would "patrol places that could have inflows of water [from the storm]". The storm had caused the plant no new problems, a spokesman said.
Izu Oshima, a volcanic island popular with tourists, has more than 8,000 residents.