A typhoon that pummelled western Japan has left at least 20 people dead and more than 50 missing, according to reports, after swollen rivers swept away buildings and landslides crushed houses.
Typhoon Talas, which made landfall yesterday and is one of the deadliest in recent years, packed gusts of up to 108km/h as it cut across the island of Shikoku and the main island of Honshu.
The Japanese government set up an emergency task force as the number of victims looked set to grow and landslides and damaged roads hampered relief efforts.
In Wakayama prefecture, 12 people were killed and 29 were missing.
One man drowned after flood waters surged into his car and another man died after a landslide hit his house, the local government said.
In Nara prefecture's Totsukawa village, an overflowing river washed away apartments leaving at least two people dead and seven missing, the local government said.
In the Kansai region and elsewhere up to 30,000 people were forced to flee, according to the fire and disaster management agency.
Television footage showed massive landslides crushing wooden houses in mountainous communities, with muddy water submerging streets and washing away wooden debris and cars.
A tally by the Kyodo news agency showed at least 20 people had died, more than 50 were missing and 3,600 were left stranded by landslides and collapsed bridges.
The powerful storm had slowly moved north into the Sea of Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
However, it warned of more mudslides in the western region where massive rainfalls - more than 180cm in some areas - have been recorded since Tuesday night.
According to agency data a typhoon which hit Japan in October 2004 left 98 people dead or missing, while a storm in September the same year left 46 people dead or missing.
