*Perilous Times and Climate Change

Deadly Typhoon Dianmu cuts across Japan*

by Staff Writers
Tokyo (AFP) Aug 15, 2010

Typhoon Dianmu cut across northern Japan into the Pacific after leaving
five dead in its wake in South Korea, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

With winds of up to 72 kilometres (45 miles) an hour, it moved across
the northern tip of Honshu island for some three hours until around 8:00
pm (1100 GMT), after travelling northeast over the Sea of Japan, the
agency said.

The storm's arrival on Honshu coincided with Japan's mid-August holiday
break, when many people were visiting their hometowns and offering
prayers to their ancestors.

The weather agency warned heavy rain could trigger floods and mudslides,
and waves as tall as five metres (16 feet).

Rainfall could reach 20 centimetres (eight inches) in northeastern Japan
in the 24 hours to midday Friday, according to the agency.

The typhoon made landfall on the south coast of the Korean peninsula
early Wednesday and dumped torrential rains as it passed through the
country towards Japan.