Tropical Storm Churns Through Central Japan

A tropical storm is sweeping across central Japan with high speed winds and torrential downpours.

As a typhoon, Jelawat has already sparked chaos in the south of the country, injuring more than 100 people, flipping vehicles and causing power cuts.

On Sunday morning it made landfall in the Aichi prefecture with less intensity, but winds of up to 112mph, and is currently moving up the main island Honshu and central areas.

The storm is expected to churn northeastwards, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.

It warned high waves of up to 10 metres (33ft) could hit islands and the Pacific coast near Tokyo, while up to 50cm (20ins) of rain is expected in some areas in the next 24 hours.

More than 2,000 people in the central Mie prefecture have been told to evacuate their homes, while residents in the capital have been urged to stay indoors, although Jelawat is not now expected to pass through the city.

Dozens of high-speed train services have been suspended across the country and some 500 flights cancelled.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "It is not a typhoon anymore. As it hit mainland Japan a few hours back it became a tropical storm ... but it is still bringing some torrential downpours of rain ... so flooding still possible and landslides.

"There will still be a lot of damage as it moves through the country, even though it is losing its intensity."

On Saturday, violent winds battered Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures, overturning cars and lorries, uprooting trees and ripping open shop fronts.

A 29-year-old man was swept away by high waves when the typhoon hit Okinawa and was later confirmed dead, according to national network NHK.

One person lost a finger after a door slammed shut on it due to strong winds, the public broadcaster said.

More than 300,000 homes have also been left without electricity.