TOKYO: Nine people were found dead inside a home for elderly people in northern Japan, police said Wednesday, after a powerful typhoon tore through the region.

“We are trying to confirm the identities of these bodies,” Iwate prefectural police Shuko Sakamoto told AFP, confirming that nine corpses were found inside the care home in the town of Iwaizumi, which suffered flooding.

Police found the bodies after rushing to the facility to rescue people who were trapped because of flooding caused by Typhoon Lionrock, public broadcaster NHK reported.

NHK footage showed a helicopter hovering over the care complex, half buried in mud and rubble, and rescuing people. Typhoon Lionrock slammed into northern Japan on Tuesday evening, dumping heavy rain, causing flooding and triggering power outages.–AFP

-NST