Typhoon Etau death toll in Japan rises to 21

13:39, 15 August 2009

MOSCOW. August 15. KAZINFORM At least 21 people have died and at least seven are missing in torrential rains and floods in the wake of Typhoon Etau, which hit western Japan earlier this week, Japan's Mainichi daily said on Friday, Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.

The tropical storm moved away from Japan's eastern coast Wednesday after sweeping through at least five prefectures.

Police said 18 people died in Hyogo Prefecture, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) west of Tokyo, and one person was killed in neighboring Okayama Prefecture.

Two people died in Tokushima on the southwestern island of Shikoku.

According to Japan's meteorological authorities, Typhoon Etau was the ninth tropical storm of the season. Heavy rains, floods and mudslides destroyed several thousand homes and interrupted transport links in some regions of western Japan.

At least 120 people reportedly died and hundreds are missing in Taiwan as Typhoon Morakot swept across the island last weekend, causing the worst flooding in half a century. The typhoon also claimed 22 lives in the Philippines, Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version.

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