Massive Japanese Tropical Storm and Flooding Linked to El Nino

BBC reports:

Widespread flooding and landslides in north-east Japan have forced more than 90,000 people to abandon their homes.

The city of Joso, north of the capital, Tokyo, was hit by a wall of water after the Kinugawa River burst its banks. Helicopter rescue teams have been plucking people from rooftops.

At least eight people are still missing and 100 need rescuing.

The rains come a day after a tropical storm brought winds of up to 125km/h (78mph) to central Aichi prefecture.

The chief forecaster at the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Takuya Deshimaru, said that the rainfall was "unprecedented" for that part of Japan.

"We can say this is an abnormal situation and there is imminent serious danger," he went on to say.

Japan's weather bureau links the weather to the El Nino that is expected to impact weather in the US this winter.

The weather bureau said on Thursday then El Nino caused weather pattern was continuing and reiterated there was a strong possibility it would stretch into winter.

-RW