Thunderstorms hit Japan despite Typhoon Shanshan's downgrade

Tokyo, Sep 1 (IANS) Typhoon Shanshan, which weakened into a tropical storm on Sunday, continued to bring severe thunderstorms to many parts of Japan.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the tenth typhoon of the year, almost stationary off the Pacific coast of central Japan, was downgraded to a tropical depression at around noon on Sunday but was still causing unstable atmospheric conditions primarily in eastern Japan by bringing warm and moist air of tropical origin.

As of 1:30 p.m. local time, heavy rain clouds and thunderstorms were occurring in various parts from Kanto to Kinki regions, with heavy rain accompanied by lightning expected through Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

With a precipitation rate of up to 80 millimetres per hour, landslide alerts remained active in the prefectures of Saitama, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka.

Due to the record-breaking rainfall in recent days, soil in parts of eastern Japan is already loosened while river levels are elevated, increasing the risk of landslides and flooding even with minimal additional rainfall, according to local media reports.

Local residents are urged to avoid dangerous areas and remain vigilant against further weather developments.

Six deaths have been confirmed due to a landslide, a house collapse and other incidents as Typhoon Shanshan swept through southwestern and western regions of the country, according to local authorities.

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