TOKYO, Sept 8, 2010 (AFP) - Torrential rains in central Japan flooded rivers and disrupted public transport systems on Wednesday as Typhoon Malou was downgraded to a tropical depression. The government issued evacuation advisories for areas of heavy rains and likely flooding, as well as warnings for continued heavy rains, high waves and possible landslides. Two men were rescued in the evening after being trapped on a river bank of the flooded Sakawa river in Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo, as muddy water swept away trees and vehicles parked nearby. Heavy rains disrupted train schedules and temporarily shut down highways.
Malou made landfall late Wednesday morning, cutting across the country from the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the Pacific throughout the afternoon, bringing heavy rains particularly to areas southwest of Tokyo. The rains temporarily halted trains in areas near Tokyo, including the "shinkansen" bullet trains that link the capital to the western commercial hubs of Nagoya and Osaka.
hih/bsk