High waves caused by Typhoon Lan break on the shores of Senjojiki, Shirahama town, Wakayama prefecture, Japan August 14, 2023. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via Reuters
TOKYO (Reuters) – Nearly 900 flights were canceled in Japan and 240,000 people were ordered to safety as a slow-moving typhoon crossed Japan’s main island of Honshu not far from the ancient capital of Kyoto, cutting off power for dozens of people. . Thousands of homes.
Typhoon Lan, which is approaching the Pacific Ocean, made landfall early Tuesday at the southern tip of Wakayama Prefecture, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) southwest of Tokyo, bringing heavy rain and strong winds across a wide area of Central and western Japan. Move north.
Authorities have issued flood and landslide warnings as rivers rise up their banks, with parts of some bridges being swept away. Tornadoes formed in several areas but did not cause significant damage.
By evening, the center of the storm — weakened by tropical storm strength — was approaching the Sea of Japan, though forecasters warned that concentrated rains would continue over a wide area.
It continued to move slowly, at about 15 kilometers per hour (9.3 mph), which increased the potential for flooding as it rained in the same areas for a prolonged period. Parts of central Japan recorded 585 millimeters (23 inches) of rain in the 24 hours to 7:00 pm (1000 GMT).
Public broadcaster NHK said more than 20 people were injured, one of them seriously.
Authorities said they had set up evacuation centers in secure buildings and higher ground for residents in 11 counties who had been asked by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency to seek shelter.
Besides disrupting flights, dangerous rain and winds closed some roads and suspended dozens of train services, although some roads reopened by Tuesday evening.
The storm comes days after Typhoon Khanun battered Japan during the peak Obon holiday season, when many factories closed and urbanites returned to their towns and villages.
The utilities said that the power outage affected nearly 90,000 homes in the central and western regions. Seven & i (3382.T) said about 210 7-Eleven store outlets were closed for safety reasons.
Additional reporting by Chang Ran Kim, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Satoshi Sugiyama, Eileen Lace Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Lincoln Fest, Bernadette Baum
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