Typhoon Etau approaches Japan’s mainland
TOKYO: Typhoon Etau barrelled toward the Japanese mainland on Tuesday, packing strong winds and heavy rains as authorities advised more than 120,000 people to evacuate due to possible flooding.
The storm, with wind speeds of up to 126 kilometres per hour, was around several hundred kilometres south of Tokyo on Tuesday afternoon. It was expected to land on Japan’s main Honshu island on Wednesday. Japan’s weather agency issued heavy rain and strong wind warnings, Airlines saying some regional airports could cancellations.
Rival All Nippon Airways said its morning flights to and from the central city of Nagoya might be cancelled. Last month, powerful typhoon Goni hit the southernmost main island of Kyushu, leaving at least one person missing who was later found dead, more than 70 others injured and disrupting rail and flight services.
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More than 600,000 people were advised to evacuate ahead of the storm.
Weather authorities warned of mudslides, high waves and swollen rivers in eastern and central Japan as Typhoon Etau was projected to hit the Tokai and Kinki regions early Wednesday.
The city of Hamamatsu, central Japan, issued evacuation instruction to about 73,000 residents as the typhoon had already brought heavy rain to the area.
As of 3 pm (0600 GMT), the season’s 18th typhoon was about 460 kilometres west-north-west of the Ogasawara islands, travelling north at 30 kilometres per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 82.8 kph and gusts of 108 kph, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Rainfall of up to 250 millimetres was forecast for the Tokai, Kinki and Kanto regions by Wednesday noon and up to 100 millimetres for the south-western island of Shikoku and north-eastern Japan, the agency said. — Agencies