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Typhoon rattles Tokyo

August 22, 2016

Typhoon Mindulle has prompted Japan to cancelled 450 flights and 100 train services. It's hit the Tokyo region and is forecast to move north to the island of Hokkaido by Tuesday, bringing severe rainfall.

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Tokio Flughafen Japan Taifun Mindulle
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Mayama

Japan's meteorological agency urged residents to "exercise caution" on Monday as downpours across the Tokyo region swelled rivers.

Broadcaster NHK said more than 425 airline flights - mostly domestic - and more than 100 train services had been cancelled as gusts of up to 180 kilometers (112 mph) per hour were registered.

The typhoon made landfall at Tateyama, a city 80 kilometers south of Tokyo.

Local media reported record rainfalls of about 100 millimeters (four inches) per hour in some areas, including the cities of Ome and Iruma.

Heavier rainfalls of up to 200 millimeters were forecast for Hokkaido by Tuesday afternoon, the agency said.

Damage so far was limited to a handful of buildings, according to Japanese television, with a roof and wall tiles blown off.

Memories of heavy damage

Last year, the Ibaraki prefecture north of Tokyo was devastated by flooding.

Mindulle is the ninth storm of the north-western Pacific's typhoon season.

Another typhoon Kompasu which affected northern Japan was downgraded to a depression zone by early Monday as it moved away into the Sea of Okhotsk.

ipj/rc (AFP, dpa, AP)