news: Two killed and thousands without power as Typhoon Melor batters Japan

A powerful typhoon has torn through Japan's main island today, cutting off electricity to hundreds of thousands of people, ripping off roofs and forcing the cancellation of flights.
Two men have been killed and at least 30 people injured after Typhoon Melor struck, flooding roads and homes, toppling trees and causing heavy damage to some buildings.
More than 11,000 people have been evacuated to shelters, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

Storm force: Large waves caused by Typhoon Melor break over defences near Shizuoka City. Two men have been killed and thousands are without power

One of the men was killed when his motorbike slammed into a downed tree in the coastal area of Wakayama, and another died when he was hit by a falling tree north of Tokyo, police said.

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The storm smashed walls and windows and overturned large trucks on major roads as it moved north east.
News broadcasts showed partially submerged cars, bridges destroyed by flooding and shipping containers scattered by powerful winds.

Damage: A lorry is overturned by winds, which gusted up to 100mph, on a coastal highway near Toyohashi City

Cut-off: Workmen attempt to repair overhead power lines in Tsuchiura City. Thousands of people are without power because of the storm

Flooding: Waves batter the coast near Shirahama town with up to 20 inches expected to fall by the end of today

Electricity is gradually being restored to more than 500,000 homes which had been cut off by the typhoon, according to Japan's power companies.
In Tokyo, train operators delayed or cancelled services on all lines, stranding workers across the city during the busy morning rush hour.
Around 2.3 million commuters were affected, with some forced to leave trains between stations.

Commuter chaos: One woman shelters under her umbrella as heavy rain hits Tokyo and, right, another woman battles with her umbrella during the high winds

Two teenagers enjoy a joke as the typhoon turns their umbrellas inside out

The country's major airlines said at least 400 domestic flights and 20 international flights had been canceled due to the storm.
Some coastal highways were closed and news footage showed large waves crashing over storm barriers on to roads.
Typhoon Melor, with winds gusting up to 100mph, gradually moved north of Tokyo through Fukushima and is expected to veer off the eastern Japan coast later today.