Storm Shanshan slowly moves across Japan as officials warn of torrential rains in major cities

Tokyo: Tropical Storm Shanshan slowly made its way into central Japan Saturday, halting trains and leaving underground passages brimming with water as...

Tokyo: Tropical Storm Shanshan slowly made its way into central Japan Saturday, halting trains and leaving underground passages brimming with water as officials warned of torrential rains in major cities, including Osaka and Tokyo.

The storm, packing winds of up to 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, crawled past the southwestern island of Shikoku and was traveling over the southern part of the main Honshu island at a speed of 15 kph (9 mph) by late afternoon.

It was forecast to affect parts of Japan through Sunday and Monday, although its exact route was uncertain, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Initially categorized as a typhoon, Shanshan made landfall Thursday. It has since weakened, but its slow movement means intense rainfall lasts for long periods in a relatively large area.

It has caused at least six storm-related deaths and dozens of injuries since it began dumping rain on Japan Wednesday, according to public broadcaster NHK which compiles tallies from local governments; One person was swept by a river, another crushed by a fallen roof, a man was slammed onto the road by a blast of wind in southwestern Japan and three others were killed in a mudslide, it reported.