Strong gusts of wind brought by Tropical Storm Peipah injured at least 24 and left more than 370 houses damaged or destroyed in Shizuoka Prefecture, eastern Japan. Officials are urging that clean-up work be done with adequate precautions against severe heat, as it is in forecast for the region on Sunday.

On Friday, developed rain clouds covered the prefecture as the storm approached, causing sudden and powerful winds in four municipalities -- the cities of Makinohara, Kakegawa and Yaizu, as well as the town of Yoshida.

The hardest hit was Makinohara, where four people suffered serious injuries and 20 others received minor ones. The winds destroyed or severely damaged 56 houses, and lightly damaged 316 others in the city.

Shizuoka residents have also been hit by power outages. As of 6 a.m. on Sunday, about 8,390 households remained without electricity in Makinohara and roughly 1,740 in Yoshida.

Meteorological officials say it has yet to be determined whether it was actually a tornado, but they believe that multiple gusts must have occurred based on damage distribution in the city.

Weather officials say severe heat will grip wide areas of Japan on Sunday. They are calling on people to take liquids and salt, and rest frequently during outdoor activities, including clean ups in the aftermath of the gusts.

Nhk