Weakened Typhoon Bearing Down on Japan

Typhoon Zeb headed for the islands of southern Japan on Friday, weaker for having unleashed its fury on the Philippines and Taiwan. At least 86 people were killed, and tens of thousands forced to flee their homes.

Most of the fatalities were blamed on drownings and landslides in the Philippines--where 74 people died and another 10 were missing. The number of casualties was expected to rise because rescuers had not yet reached several mountain villages in the northern Philippines.

More than 100,000 people were forced to flee their homes because of flooding, and some 10,000 were still in government shelters.

Twelve people were killed and 12 were reported missing in Taiwan, where Zeb flooded low-lying urban areas with torrential rains.

Rescuers said a retired soldier, his wife, three daughters and two other people were believed trapped in two houses buried by a mudslide in the Taipei suburb of Neihu.

Zeb roared through the Philippines on Wednesday and hammered Taiwan a day later. At its peak, it reached “super typhoon” status, with sustained winds of 150s mph and gusts measuring 184 mph.

Late Friday, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said Zeb was over the East China Sea and approaching Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu at a speed of about 15 mph.

Ninety domestic flights to southern Japanese destinations were canceled Friday.