Japan: Over 600 seek shelter in schools as flood destroys homes

As Typhoon Noru moved into the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, torrential rains brought by the storm caused flooding ravaging the streets and properties inflicting injuries to some, the authorities say that over 600 people took shelter in schools.

“A local river overflowed and submerged a residential area in the western city of Nagahama,’’ city official Takahiro Murai said.

“As at 1 p.m., the storm was over the Sea of Japan, 40 km north of the city of Itoigawa, traveling east-north-east with maximum sustained winds of 72 kph and gusts of 108 kph.

“The slow-moving typhoon made landfall in the northern part of Wakayama prefecture on Monday after battering southern Japanese islands over the weekend.

“It has left at least two people dead and 40 injured since Saturday, ” Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. (dpa/NAN)