Japan typhoon search resumes as another storm looms
Tokyo (AFP) - The search resumed Monday for 18 people still missing after last week's typhoon-sparked landslides on a Japanese island, as meteorologists warned of another "very strong" storm.
Following a weekend hiatus because of rough weather, emergency crews were back combing through the tonnes of mud that engulfed houses overnight Tuesday on Oshima, an island 120 kilometres (75 miles) south of Tokyo.
The weekend's heavy rain brought more misery to the island after the landslides, which killed at least 28 people, with 2,300 residents advised to leave their homes for fear of further calamity.
With the advisory lifted as of 8:00 am (2300 GMT Sunday), some 1,200 police officers, rescue workers and soldiers were back at their grim task, an official said.
"As the (next) typhoon is coming and rain is expected to start falling again, we would like to do as much searching as possible beforehand, and return the missing to their families," Oshima mayor Masafumi Kawashima said.
"The town (has) advised residents to return home for now and calmly prepare for the next evacuation."
Typhoon Francisco, which forecasters say is "very strong", was approaching Japan, moving north-northwest at the speed of 10 kilometres (6 miles) per hour in an area east of the Philippines, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Monday morning.
Local authorities plan to evacuate nearly 550 people, mostly elderly residents, from the island as the upcoming typhoon appears on course to pass nearby, Jiji Press said.
Francisco is expected to reach Japan's southern island chain of Okinawa by Thursday morning, it said.
