Typhoon Roke turned its fury toward Japan's northern island Hokkaido on Thursday after leaving at least 12 people dead or missing on its way through central Japan.

Roke slammed Tokyo with fierce winds and torrential rain, halting mass transit and stranding tens of thousands of commuters before heading toward the northeastern coast, which was devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Workers at the crippled Fukushima-Daiichi plant rushed to secure the building to keep out the rain and prevent radioactive water from spilling out of the damaged reactors. Officials say the plant so far has sustained only minor damage to its security cameras.

In a village near Sendai, one of the worst-hit cities in the March earthquake, residents expressed frustration at the prospect of losing yet another home.

One resident said he thought he was safe after moving to a mountainside, but he has been evacuated again.

Television footage Wednesday showed residents in the central city Nagoya being carried to safety on boats pulled by rescue workers. Authorities had issued an evacuation advisory for about 1 million people in the city, warning that nearby rivers might overflow their banks and flood the area.

Western Japan is still recovering from the aftermath of Typhoon Talas, which left at least 80 people dead or missing earlier this month. The storm swept away roads and downed telephone and power lines, leaving more than 4,000 people isolated.