The death toll from Typhoon Dujuan in eastern Japan rose to nine on Wednesday, as rescue teams continued searching for four people still missing after torrential rain triggered flooding and landslides across parts of the Kanto region.

Authorities confirmed the deaths of a woman in Kanagawa Prefecture and a man found inside a submerged vehicle in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, bringing the confirmed toll to nine, according to Kyodo News and local authorities. Six of the victims were in Chiba and three in Kanagawa, southwest of the capital.

The storm caused particularly severe damage in Chiba, where flooding affected residential areas and roads. Two people remain missing in Chiba and another two in Kanagawa, while at least one person in Kanagawa was seriously injured, according to the latest local tallies.

Typhoon Dujuan, Japan's 25th typhoon of the year, approached the Kanto region earlier this week before moving northeast and away from Japan's Pacific coast. Although the storm has moved away, authorities have warned that saturated ground and swollen rivers could continue to pose risks, particularly of delayed landslides.

The storm brought exceptionally heavy rainfall to eastern Japan. Oshima in Tokyo's Izu island chain recorded 832 millimeters of rain over 48 hours through early Tuesday, the highest amount recorded there, while several other locations also registered record rainfall. Parts of Chiba recorded nearly 500 millimeters over a 48-hour period.

In Sakura, Chiba Prefecture, the Takasaki River overflowed, flooding a wide area around JR Sakura Station. Water in some locations reached almost one meter in depth, leaving residents stranded inside their homes and submerging vehicles. Reports said roughly 500 homes were flooded and about 120 vehicles were submerged.

Landslides were also reported in several parts of Chiba and Kanagawa. In Yokosuka, Kanagawa, a woman in her 60s was killed after a landslide struck her home. Rescue workers also searched areas of Miura and other communities where homes were damaged by mud and debris.

The storm caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure. Earlier assessments put the number of damaged homes in Chiba, Kanagawa and neighboring Ibaraki Prefectures at around 500. Emergency services, including police, firefighters and Japan's Self-Defense Forces, have been involved in rescue and search operations.

Dujuan also disrupted transportation and public activities during Japan's five-day Silver Week holiday, which ended Wednesday. The storm affected flights and rail services and disrupted events in the region. Earlier in the week, more than 45,000 households in Chiba were reported to be without electricity.

The latest disaster has also raised concerns because Chiba had already experienced heavy rainfall and flooding in August and early September. The repeated rainfall has left soil saturated in some areas, increasing the potential for further landslides even after the typhoon itself has moved away.

Japanese authorities are continuing to monitor rivers, unstable slopes and flooded areas while search teams work to locate the four missing people. Officials have urged residents in affected areas to remain vigilant, noting that the danger can persist after rainfall has ended. (ILKHA)