A NASA satellite image shows Tropical Storm Man-yi as it approaches Japan. (Image Courtesy: NASA)

As if its radiation concerns aren't enough, Japan might receive another radiation leaking problem from the same crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. Typhoon Man-yi has started battering southern Japan, and its path has been forecast to directly hit the nuclear plant.

The typhoon, which has made landfall Monday morning in Toyohashi, Aichi prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, is packing gusts of up to 162km/h.

Seen moving north-northwest at a speed of 45 kilometres per hour, Typhoon Man-yi will hit southern parts of the main island Honshu on Monday morning and then forecast to head northeast towards the capital and its surrounding region by noon. When it crosses the northeast, it will surely hit the Fukushima area.

If Typhoon Man-yi doesn't change course and pursues its known trajectory, it will unleash more contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant that could possibly seep into the groundwater.

Public broadcaster NHK has reported that trouble from the heavy rains has reached Fukushima. One of the plant's fences have toppled over. Crews of Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) are racing against time to keep highly contaminated water in reactor basements and tunnels from overflowing.

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NHK said Typhoon Man-yi has already dumped 41.5 millimeters of rain per hour in a town near the crippled power plant on Sunday afternoon.

Japan has cancelled 200 domestic flights on Monday, mainly those departing Tokyo. Train services were likewise shutdown.

Japan's weather agency advised residents to brace for severe flooding, heavy rain, mudslides and high ocean waves to areas along the Pacific coast.

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