30.07.2018, 15:45 4216

At least 24 people injured as typhoon passes through western Japan

A weakening typhoon traveled over Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu after passing through western regions on Sunday, injuring at least 24 people and causing extreme heat in the Hokuriku region facing the Sea of Japan.
A weakening typhoon traveled over Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu after passing through western regions on Sunday, injuring at least 24 people and causing extreme heat in the Hokuriku region facing the Sea of Japan.

But no injuries or damage due to Typhoon Jongdari were immediately reported in regions ravaged by flooding and landslides earlier this month, as local authorities had advised residents to evacuate early as a precaution, KYODO NEWS reports.

The typhoon made landfall in central Japan's Mie Prefecture in the early hours of Sunday. It brought intense rainfall across wide areas and led to temperatures rising close to 40 C in Hokuriku in a phenomenon known as foehn wind, or moist air becoming warm and dry after passing a high mountain.

The injuries sustained were mostly due to accidents triggered by strong winds or high waves. Damage to property, such as roofs blown off by strong gusts, was also reported in several prefectures.

With the typhoon taking an unusual route toward the west, the disaster-struck areas remained on high alert as the weather agency warned of further flooding and landslides, as well as storms and high waves. Evacuation advisories were issued for some areas.

I was afraid of getting more torrential rain, but I'm relieved that we did not have any major damage this time," said Nobuhiro Kanetomo, 40, in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, one of the hardest-hit areas in the rain disaster.


At 8 p.m., Typhoon Jongdari was moving over northern Kyushu at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour and packing winds of up to 90 kph, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. It had an atmospheric pressure of 992 hectopascals at its center.

Transportation has also been affected, with some Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways flights connecting Tokyo to western Japan canceled.

West Japan Railway Co. and some other railway operators said some of their train services were either delayed or halted.

On Saturday night in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, 15 vehicles including an ambulance were stuck on a water-covered road near the ocean due to high waves, and were eventually caught up in them. About 30 people were evacuated to higher ground.

The same night, five people staying at a hotel in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, were slightly hurt due to broken windowpanes caused by high waves.


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