A typhoon made landfall in Iwate Prefecture on Monday during the annual Bon summer holidays and brought heavy downpours as it moved across northeastern Japan, the weather agency said.
Typhoon Maria, the first tropical storm to make landfall on the Japanese archipelago this year, flooded several houses in the prefecture and prompted some municipalities to issue evacuation orders for residents.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned earlier that the typhoon heightened the risk of landslides, overflowing rivers, flooding in low-lying areas, strong winds and high waves. The slow-moving typhoon is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by Tuesday on the Sea of Japan.
Many areas in Iwate Prefecture observed downpours of over 200 millimeters since Saturday when the rainfall began.
In Kuji, Iwate Prefecture, precipitation during the 48 hours reached over 400 mm, double the average monthly rainfall for August. The downpours broke records at several observation spots.
Due to the risk of river overflows, the city government of Kuji temporarily issued its highest alert warning residents of the life-threatening situation and called on them to take all appropriate safety measures.
Some municipalities in Aomori and Akita prefectures cautioned their residents or ordered evacuations, the second-highest alert.
Japan Airlines Co. said Monday it had canceled all or many flights from or to Aomori, Misawa, Akita, Hanamaki, Sendai, Yamagata and Niigata airports, affecting about 7,000 customers.
All Nippon Airways Co. on Sunday decided to cancel some of its flights to or from Aomori airport and said services to other airports in the region could be affected.
According to East Japan Railway Co., bullet train services between Akita and Morioka stations on the Akita Shinkansen Line were suspended Monday afternoon.
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Typhoon may hit northeastern Japan on Aug. 12, bring heavy rain
