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Typhoon Roke Batters Japan

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist for AccuWeather.com

AccuWeather.com reports after ransacking Tokyo and areas along the south-central coast of mainland Japan, former Typhoon Roke is now battering the areas that were ravaged by March's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

At least 10 inches of rain has fallen in Sendai, while Fukushima picked up 8 inches Wednesday. At 8 a.m. EDT, the center of the storm was located 16 miles south of Fukushima.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), winds have not been significant at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where three nuclear reactors melted down when the tsunami hit in March. The Associated Press (AP) reported that a small amount of radiation is still leaking from the plant.

AccuWeather.com Expert International Forecaster Jim Andrews stated at 11 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EDT) Wednesday, "The worst is over for the southern part of the earthquake zone, but in areas north of Sendai, there will still be heavy rain for at least a few more hours."

Several deaths have been blamed on Roke, and more lives are at stake with the continued threat for flooding and mudslides.

The typhoon made landfall around 2 p.m. Wednesday local time (1 a.m. Wednesday EDT) on south-central mainland Japan.

Photos and video of Typhoon Roke's damage and flooding in Japan

Photo of Tokyo taxi tweeted by Steve Herman, the Voice of America Bureau Chief/Correspondent covering Korea and Japan.

Based on radar from the JMA, Roke came onshore between the cities of Toyohashi and Hamamatsu with the strength of a minimal Category 2 hurricane.

Roke weakened to the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane as it blasted inland. At 8 a.m. EDT, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) downgraded Roke to a tropical storm. This weakening trend will continue Wednesday night (local time).

Regardless of the weakening, residents of Japan should not let their guard down. Roke will continue to spread strong, gusty winds and torrential rain northward across mainland Japan to the nation's island of Hokkaido into Thursday morning.

Dangerously rough surf will also pound Japan's eastern coast.

"Winds will cause at least moderate damage along and near the direct path of Roke," stated AccuWeather.com Expert International Forecaster Jim Andrews.

The rain into Thursday morning will total 6 to 10 inches (150 to 250 mm) across northern mainland Japan and eastern Hokkaido with the highest totals in and along the eastern slopes of the mountains.

Some places will pick up an inch or two of that rain in just one hour. Life-threatening flooding and mudslides are serious concerns.

Andrews reported early Wednesday morning EDT that the rain had left Tokyo. Gusty winds kept up after the rain moved out, but those have since subsided as well. Winds gusted as high as 82 mph late Wednesday afternoon local time at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda).

The worst of Roke's wrath is now targeting the areas devastated by March's massive earthquake and tsunami.

The pounding will shift to eastern Hokkaido late Wednesday night into Thursday morning local time, then Russia's Kuril Islands Thursday.

The AP reported Wednesday morning EDT that six people have been killed or are missing, according to police and local media. Nearly 260,000 residences were without power.

The dangers presented by Roke prompted officials to order or advise more than one million residents across Japan to evacuate. These orders have since been lifted for about 80,000 residents in Nagoya, Japan.

Roke slammed Nagoya with nearly 11 inches of rain in 54 hours, ending at 3 p.m. Wednesday local time, and 69-mph wind gusts.

Nagoya, however, does not sit at the top of Roke's rainfall totals list. Almost 24 inches of rain inundated Tokushima, Japan, in 48 hours, ending early Wednesday morning local time. Tokushima is located on the island of Shikoku.