Tokyo: Typhoon Mekkhala and Tropical Storm Higos lashed parts of Japan with heavy rain on Saturday, triggering landslides, injuries, and evacuation orders.
According to public broadcaster NHK, three people were injured, and one person went missing after a mudslide struck a two-storey home in Hirao Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture, sending mud and debris into the first floor.
Heavy rain has battered the area since around Wednesday. Rainfall in neighbouring Yanai City has exceeded 350 millimetres, according to the local meteorological observatory.
Authorities issued evacuation orders for thousands of residents in several areas, including Oshima Town in Tokyo and Shimoda City in Shizuoka Prefecture, amid the continuing risk of landslides, NHK reported.
A large sinkhole opened in a residential area in southwestern Japan, partially swallowing a garage and a motorcycle and forcing nearby residents to evacuate.
Police said they received a report on Friday evening that a road had caved in. The sinkhole measures about 9 metres long, 6 metres wide, and 5 metres deep, according to NTV.
As a precaution, residents from around 20 nearby households were advised to evacuate due to the risk of the sinkhole expanding, the broadcaster said. It added that police believe the incident was caused by heavy rainfall in recent days and are investigating the matter.
