2 dead, millions evacuated as Typhoon Nanmadol slams Japan

Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Typhoon Nanmadol was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday after two people died and millions remain under an evacuation warning after the powerful storm slammed into the southwestern region of Kyushu the day before.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said some areas in the Miyazaki Prefecture saw more rain in the 24 hours after the storm hit than it has seen in all of September as river levels reached record highs.

The storm hit around Kagoshima, where the typhoon uprooted trees and smashed windows. The agency told residents to stay on alert for strong winds, mudslides and flooding.

Despite the typhoon being downgraded to a tropical storm, some areas are still seeing violent winds and pounding rainfall. Linear rain bands were expected to form in northern Kyushu as well as the Chugoku, Shikoku, Kinki and Tokai regions through Tuesday, creating additional flooding and landslides.

When Nanmadol made landfall on Sunday, it had a central pressure of at least 27.61 inches of mercury, making it one of the Top 5 strongest storms to make landfall in Japan since record-keeping started in 1951.

Meteorologists said the typhoon is threatening lives and property throughout the country because of its size and path. More than 8 million people were ordered to evacuate in southern and western Japan before the storm.

Forecasters said as Nanmadol continues to move over the southern Japan mainland, its wind intensity will continue to decrease but the rain will still play a significant threat through the early week.