The Japan Meteorological Agency said "warm and moist air" brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to western Japan, partly due to the influence of Typhoon Kong-rey, which was downgraded from a typhoon to an extratropical low-pressure system.

Matsuyama City has "issued the highest level warning, asking 189,552 residents in 10 areas to evacuate and secure safety immediately," a city official said.

While evacuation orders are not mandatory, the highest level warning is typically issued when there is a very high likelihood of some type of disaster occurring. The forecast also warns that landslides and flooding could affect western and eastern Japan later this week.

Images from social media showed people walking on a flooded street in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan, on November 2. Heavy rain also disrupted Shinkansen trains between Tokyo and the southern region of Fukuoka in the morning, before they were restored.

Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taiwan on Thursday, becoming one of the strongest storms to hit the island in decades, causing heavy damage with at least three people killed and 690 injured, according to Taiwan's Fire Department.

The storm knocked out power to more than 957,000 households, with 27,781 still without power as of Saturday.

Scientists say human-caused climate change is increasing the risk from heavy rains, as a warmer atmosphere holds more water vapour, increasing the likelihood of heavy rains.

Cao Phong (according to CNA, Reuters)