Typhoon in Japan leaves 12 dead

Typhoon Etau killed 11 people in Hyogo prefecture, around 310 miles (500 kilometers) west of Tokyo, police official Shigekazu Kamenobu said. He could not provide details but said many were caught in raging waters, AP reported.

"At least one man was swept away in a river while he was in a car. His body was later found inside the vehicle," Kamenobu said.

Police said about 2,200 people were evacuated from their homes in Hyogo and were staying at public schools. Some 500 houses were flooded, with TV footage showing residents clearing up mud with shovels.

A woman was also found dead in her house that was destroyed by a landslide in neighboring Okayama prefecture, police official Wataru Yamamoto said.

Police said at least two people were missing in Tokushima, on the western island of Shikoku. A Tokushima police official said another woman was rescued after she became stranded in her car by floods. She is in critical condition, said the official, who declined to be named, citing department policy.

Public broadcaster NHK said at least 10 people are also missing in the typhoon. Police officials could not confirm the report.

Japan's Meteorological Agency warned of heavy precipitation and landslides in eastern Japan as Etau heads north.