Fresh rain threatened to hamper efforts by tens of thousands of Japanese rescuers searching for survivors after a powerful typhoon that by early Tuesday had killed 58 people.

Typhoon Hagibis brought heavy rains to Japan that caused devastating flooding in several parts of the country
Typhoon Hagibis brought heavy rains to Japan that caused devastating flooding in several parts of the country JIJI PRESS / STR

Typhoon Hagibis crashed into the country on Saturday night, unleashing high winds and torrential rain across 36 of the country's 47 prefectures, triggering landslides and catastrophic flooding.

Rescue workers in Japan used boats and helicopters to reach people trapped after Typhoon Hagibis
Rescue workers in Japan used boats and helicopters to reach people trapped after Typhoon Hagibis AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI

The death toll from the disaster has risen steadily, and national broadcaster NHK early Tuesday said 58 people had been killed, according to authorities, while more than a dozen were still missing.

Rescue efforts were continuing on Monday, two days after powerful Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan
Rescue efforts were continuing on Monday, two days after powerful Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan JIJI PRESS / STR

The government has given lower numbers but was still updating its information.

The damage from Typhoon Hagibis was spread across several parts of Japan, with 21 rivers bursting their banks
The damage from Typhoon Hagibis was spread across several parts of Japan, with 21 rivers bursting their banks AFP / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU

"Even now, many people are still unaccounted for in the disaster-hit area," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told an emergency disaster meeting on Monday.

Typhoon Hagibis caused transport chaos over a holiday weekend in Japan, grounding flights and halting trains
Typhoon Hagibis caused transport chaos over a holiday weekend in Japan, grounding flights and halting trains JIJI PRESS / STR

"Units are trying their best to search for and rescue them, working day and night," Abe said.

Japan dedicated its Rugby World Cup win against Scotland to victims of Typhoon Hagibis
Japan dedicated its Rugby World Cup win against Scotland to victims of Typhoon Hagibis AFP / William WEST

Later in the day, he pledged to "do whatever the country can" for victims and survivors, ordering the defence ministry to call up to 1,000 reserve troops to join 31,000 active forces in search operations.

But rescue work that continued into the night Monday risked being thwarted by additional rain falling in central and eastern Japan.

More than 110,000 rescue workers have been deployed across Japan to help people affected by Typhoon Hagibis
More than 110,000 rescue workers have been deployed across Japan to help people affected by Typhoon Hagibis AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI

"I would like to ask people to stay fully vigilant and continue watching for landslides and river flooding," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.

Central Japan's Nagano was among the regions worst affected by power Typhoon Hagibis
Central Japan's Nagano was among the regions worst affected by power Typhoon Hagibis AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI

In Nagano, one of the worst-hit regions, officials said they were working cautiously.

Rescue workers in Japan used boats and helicopters to reach people trapped after Typhoon Hagibis
Rescue workers in Japan used boats and helicopters to reach people trapped after Typhoon Hagibis AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI

"We are concerned about the impact of the latest rain on rescue and recovery efforts," local official Hiroki Yamaguchi told AFP.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said rescue units "are trying their best" to reach those still unaccounted for after Typhoon Hagibis
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said rescue units "are trying their best" to reach those still unaccounted for after Typhoon Hagibis AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI

"We will continue operations while watching out for secondary disasters due to the current rain."

A car is barely visible, trapped by floodwaters in the aftermath of Typhoon Hagibis in Kakuda, Japan's Miyagi prefecture
A car is barely visible, trapped by floodwaters in the aftermath of Typhoon Hagibis in Kakuda, Japan's Miyagi prefecture AFP / CHARLY TRIBALLEAU

Seven sailors among dead

Bodies pulled from flooded cars and homes, swollen rivers and landslides all added to the death toll.

Typhoon Hagibis forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, including this boy taking fruit at a shelter in Nagano
Typhoon Hagibis forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, including this boy taking fruit at a shelter in Nagano AFP / Kazuhiro NOGI

The casualties included a municipal worker whose car was engulfed by floodwaters and at least seven crew from a cargo ship that sank in Tokyo Bay on Saturday night, a coast guard spokesman said.

Heavy rain from Typhoon Hagibis caused rivers to burst their banks in nearly a dozen places in Japan
Heavy rain from Typhoon Hagibis caused rivers to burst their banks in nearly a dozen places in Japan JIJI PRESS / JIJI PRESS

Four other crew, from China, Myanmar and Vietnam, were rescued when the vessel sank and the coast guard was still searching for a last crew member.

Wind gusts from Hagibis reached up to 216 kilometres (134 miles) per hour, but it was the heavy rains that caused the most damage.

A total of 176 rivers flooded, mainly in eastern and northern Japan, local media said.

In central Nagano, a levee breach sent water from the Chikuma river gushing into residential neighbourhoods, flooding homes up to the second floor.

Television footage from the area showed patients being transferred by ambulance from a Nagano hospital where some 200 people had been cut off by flooding.

Elsewhere, rescuers used helicopters to winch survivors from roofs and balconies, or steered boats through muddy waters to reach those trapped.

Rugby win dedicated to victims

By Monday afternoon, almost 76,000 households remained without power, and water was cut off to 135,000 homes.

The disaster left tens of thousands of people in shelters, many of them unsure when they would be able to return home.

"Everything from my house was washed away before my eyes, I wasn't sure if it was a dream or real," a woman in Nagano told NHK.

"I feel lucky I'm still alive."

The storm brought travel chaos over the holiday weekend, grounding flights and halting commuter and bullet train services.

By Monday most subway trains had resumed service, along with many bullet train lines. Flights had also restarted.

But NHK reported the swamping of a maintenance yard for the Hokuriku bullet train which connects Tokyo with Nagano. Ten trains were damaged when water levels rose by an estimated four metres (yards), NHK said, citing the train operator.

The storm brought havoc to the sporting world, forcing the delay of Japanese Grand Prix qualifiers and the cancellation of three Rugby World Cup matches.

But a crucial decider pitting Japan against Scotland went ahead, leaving the hosts with a stunning 28-21 win they dedicated to the disaster victims.

"To everyone that's suffering from the typhoon, this game was for you guys," said Japan's captain Michael Leitch.