Authorities in southwestern Japan have ordered nearly 260,000 residents to evacuate as a powerful typhoon ‘No. 13’ approaches, while more than 500 flights were canceled on Friday due to severe weather.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the Category 1 typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 198 kilometers per hour as it headed towards the islands between Kyushu and Okinawa prefectures. It was expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain and rough seas.
Evacuation orders have been issued for about 260,000 residents in Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures. In addition, the country’s top automaker Toyota temporarily suspended production operations at nine of its factories on Friday for safety reasons.
The weather agency warned that the typhoon could maintain its strength as it moves towards Okinawa, bringing strong winds that could damage or collapse buildings and other structures. It could also bring “linear rain bands” or very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in narrow areas, increasing the risk of flash flooding.
Meanwhile, the impact of the massive storm has already begun to hit large areas of Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu. Kumamoto Prefecture in particular is still reeling from last week’s 7.1-magnitude earthquake. About 6,700 people are still in shelters after the quake destroyed many homes.
In addition, the Japan Meteorological Agency has also warned of the risk of heatstroke, as temperatures could reach 36 degrees Celsius in some areas.
Source: Japan Today
