4 killed, 6 missing in landslides triggered by typhoon in Japan

At least four people have died in heavy rain and devastating landslides caused by a powerful typhoon that struck Japan's capital Tokyo and surrounding areas. Six others remain missing in the incidents.

The casualties occurred in the Chiba and Kanagawa administrative regions adjacent to Tokyo on Monday, September 20. The country's military has launched rescue operations to bring the situation under control.

Police said a 51-year-old excavator operator was buried under mud along with his excavation machine when a landslide suddenly occurred during repair work on a damaged road in Sodegaura city of Chiba prefecture. He was declared dead after being rescued and taken to hospital. In the same city, a woman was injured when a car she was driving went through debris.

On the other hand, an 80-year-old woman died when a landslide caused a residential house to collapse in Kamogawa city of Chiba prefecture. Additionally, a woman in her sixties died after mud from a landslide entered a house in Yokosuka city of Kanagawa prefecture.

On the same day, a resident has been missing since a landslide caused an apartment building to collapse in Miura city of Kanagawa. Additionally, two more people are reported missing in another landslide in Chiba.

The Kanagawa prefecture administration has requested the deployment of the country's military to assist in rescue operations.

Japan's meteorological agency has issued its highest-level warning among five levels for the northern part of the Izu Islands. Alongside this, the agency has maintained a level-4 warning for parts of Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Ibaraki and Miyagi prefectures.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said 21 houses in Chiba, 27 in Ibaraki and one in Kanagawa have been damaged by the typhoon, some of which are submerged in water.

According to the meteorological office, the typhoon passed over the Boso Peninsula in Chiba prefecture on Monday night. Due to its impact, roads in Chiba city were flooded and two cars were submerged, though the drivers managed to get out safely. Local fire services confirmed no one was injured.

Source: BBC, Japan Today