Typhoon Mekkhala threatens Japan as Higos weakens, flood risks persist

Japan remained on high alert Saturday as Typhoon Mekkhala approached the country's eastern coastline following the weakening of Typhoon Higos, with the Japan Meteorological Agency warning that heavy rainfall and landslide risks persist across multiple prefectures, according to media reports.

Storm trajectory

The agency said Higos brushed past areas near Tokyo before weakening to a tropical depression early Saturday, while the stronger Mekkhala was moving northeast along the Pacific coast and could make landfall later in the day, Kyodo News reported.

Forecasters predicted up to 250 millimeters of rain in the Tokai region and 200 millimeters in the Kanto-Koshin region, including Tokyo, by early Sunday. The severe weather follows days of torrential rain caused by the two typhoons and a seasonal rain front.

Evacuations and damage

More than 2 million people across 13 prefectures in western Japan were placed under evacuation orders Friday as authorities warned of worsening conditions. In the Yamaguchi Prefecture, one person was reported missing and several others injured after a landslide destroyed a home Friday.

A Level 5 emergency safety alert — Japan's highest — was issued for parts of Seika in Kyoto Prefecture following another landslide. Some areas have recorded exceptional rainfall, with Goto in the Nagasaki Prefecture receiving 600 millimeters since Tuesday, while more than 500 millimeters fell in parts of the Kumamoto and Saga prefectures.

Persistent dangers

Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant as the risk of further flooding and landslides continues. The heavy rainfall is expected to persist through early Sunday as Mekkhala tracks along the eastern coastline.