NAHA, Japan—Heavy rains intensified by Tropical Storm Mawar fell on Japan’s main archipelago Friday, halting trains and triggering floods and mudslides in central and western regions where residents were urged to use caution or evacuate.
Up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) of rain was forecast in parts of western and central Japan through Saturday evening. More than 1.27 million residents in vulnerable areas, including in Mie, Wakayama, Aichi, and Shizuoka prefectures in central Japan, were warned of possible flooding and mudslides and advised to go to evacuation centers as of Friday afternoon, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Television videos showed swollen rivers in residential areas of Wakayama city, including one where brown water rose as high as the bottom of a bridge. There were reports of two people swept away by the swollen rivers, NHK public television said….