Typhoon approaches eastern Japan

A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan's Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, violent winds ​and a heightened risk of landslides across the ‌Kanto region and other parts of eastern Japan, the weather agency said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that conditions could deteriorate rapidly ​as Typhoon Dujuan was forecast to pass ​close to the Tokyo metropolitan area later in ⁠the day.

Heavy rain has already drenched parts of the ​Izu Islands, Chiba Prefecture and other Pacific coastal areas, ​with some locations recording more than 300 mm (12 inches) of rainfall since Saturday.

The JMA said downpours could intensify from Monday afternoon ​as the typhoon nears the Kanto region, an area ​that includes Tokyo and surrounding prefectures.

At the Asian Games in central ‌Japan's ⁠Aichi Prefecture, organisers postponed the equestrian eventing competition until Tuesday due to the approaching typhoon.

Authorities cautioned that linear rain bands could form over Kanto and central Japan, ​sharply raising ​the risk of ⁠flash floods and other rain-related disasters.

Linear bands, which have become a growing concern ​in Japan in recent years, can dump ​extraordinary amounts ⁠of rain over a narrow area for several hours.

Typhoon Dujuan comes amid a year of extreme weather events ⁠around ​the world, with unusually intense rainfall, ​flooding and tropical cyclones affecting regions from East Asia to North ​America and Europe.

-Reuters