Typhoon barrels towards flood-hit western Japan

A powerful typhoon is on track to batter parts of western Japan that were hit earlier this month by devastating flooding and landslides, Japanese officials warned today.

Typhoon Jongdari is currently packing winds of nearly 200 kilometres (125 miles) an hour and is forecast to hit the country's main island tomorrow night, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.

It is taking a relatively rare northwest course, which will put the disaster-hit areas directly in its crosshairs. Most typhoons that cross Japan track northeast.

Authorities are warning of heavy rain, landslides, strong winds and high waves, and urging people to consider early evacuation.

Today the storm was about 1,200 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, heading towards Chichijima Island, but it is expected to barrel towards the western Chugoku region by late tomorrow.

The region was hit earlier this month by record rainfall that caused flooding and landslides, killing around 220 people. It was Japan's worst weather-related disaster in decades, and many residents of affected areas are still living in shelters or damaged homes.

"Since this will be the first heavy rain since the downpours, residents need to be fully on alert," Ryuta Kurora, chief forecaster at the weather agency, told reporters.

"In the disaster zone, even normal rainfall could lead to damage from landslides or flooding of rivers," Kurora said.

"The situation has significantly changed" because of the disaster in western Japan, he said. "Early evacuation is really needed."