At least fifteen people have been killed and more than 43 others are missing after Typhoon Talas swept across western Japan.

More than 450,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes as the tropical storm caused flooding and landslides on Sunday on its path northwards towards the Sea of Japan.

Al Jazeera's Steve Chao, reporting from Ishinomaki, said wind speeds at the peak of the storm had reached 140 km per hour.

"The bigger threat was that Typhoon Talas was moving so slowly which meant it was dumping heavy, heavy rain over the southern parts of Japan," our correspondent said.

In one area alone, Nara Prefecture, more than 1,600 mm of rain fell, causing landslides which swept a 73-year-old man to his death when his wooden house collapsed.

Currently more than 73,000 people remain without electricity.

According to NHK, 94 people were injured in 18 prefectures in central and western Japan, while further torrential rain continued to hit the Kii Peninsula and neighbouring areas.

The television channel reported that "since the approach of Talas on Thursday, close to 1,800 mm of rain, a record level, accumulated in some areas in Nara, 1,500 mm in Mie, and 1,100 mm in Wakayama."

A further 50 to 80 mm is expected overnight, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency.