Mie Prefecture Sinks – “This Is As Bad As The Tsunami!”

The landfall of Typhoon 12 (aka Tropical Cyclone Talas) has seen parts of Japan subject to severe flooding, with scenes of inundation reminiscent of the tsunami which devastated Fukushima earlier in the year – although at least this time there was fair warning and only two fatalities so far.

The top of a signpost:

A rather striking picture of a government river monitoring website’s efforts to cope with the water levels:

NHK provides details:

A severe tropical storm is heading north after making landfall on Japan’s southwestern island of Shikoku on Saturday morning.

The Meteorological Agency says tropical storm Talas is moving slowly north over Shikoku.

It has an atmospheric pressure of 982 hectopascals at its center and winds of up to 108 kilometers per hour.

The storm is bringing record heavy rain to western and eastern Japan.

In Kami-kitayama Village, Nara Prefecture, over 115 centimeters of rain has fallen since Tuesday.

Daisen in Tottori Prefecture has recorded more than 80 centimeters of rain and areas along mountains in Shikoku have received 80 centimeters.

Mountainous areas in Tokai and north of the Kanto region had more than 60 centimeters of rain.

Weather officials say the storm will retain strength and keep moving north, and is expected to reach the Sea of Japan coast late on Saturday night.

NHK has learned that Talas left two persons dead, 5 missing, and 47 others injured.

Authorities across the nation issued evacuation orders and advisories for more than 28,000 households, warning against swollen rivers and mudslides.