On October 20, hundreds of Japanese on Izu Oshima Island have evacuated ahead of the super typhoon Francisco which was forecast to strike Japan as a tropical storm on October 25.

Typhoon Francisco, which forecasters say is "very strong", was approaching Japan, at the speed of 10 kilometres per hour from an area east of the Philippines, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The town of Oshima, 120 kilometres south of Tokyo, advised 2,300 residents in two districts of the island to evacuate, saying rain was expected to intensify due to a depression.

Super typhoon Francisco, currently packing winds of up to 198 kilometres per hour near its centre. The Meteorological Agency has warned that rainfall could reach 40 millimeters per hour and has urged residents to be on alert.

Last week, powerful typhoon Wipha triggered mudslides that buried some 30 houses and damaged more than 300 structures on Oshima./.

(CPV)