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Tuesday, 20th September 2016
In Weather In Japan,
Typhoon Malakas makes landfall in southern Japan
Southwestern Japan has been hit by a strong typhoon today (September 20th), leading to extreme weather and mass evacuations in this part of the country.
Typhoon Malakas has brought heavy rain with it, resulting in floods and meaning the local authorities were forced into action.
Some 600,000 were advised to evacuate and flights into and out of airports in the region were cancelled.
The typhoon is expected to continue on its north-easterly course, up the Pacific coast towards Tokyo, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
It will then head out into the Pacific Ocean in the early hours of Wednesday morning, experts believe.
By the time it goes out to sea, it will likely be classified as a depression, a downgrade from typhoon, which should have occurred by 9am tomorrow.
Among six prefectures where people are being asked to evacuate is Kumamoto, where strong earthquakes hit earlier in the year.
The area is still recovering from the shocks and the added pressure from the typhoon will cause problems for the already stretched infrastructure.
More than 100 domestic flights have been cancelled in Kyushu, NHK reported, while two people have also been injured in the prefecture, according to the Jiji news agency.
Utility poles have come down, buildings have been flooded and one section of coastal road has seen vehicles being washed out, the Associated Press said.
It also added that more than 30,000 households in Kyushu had lost power, plunging the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands into darkness.
Anyone travelling on Japan’s Pacific coast should exercise caution, as floods, mudslides and high waves are all possible.
Follow local advice and stay safe, even if it means cutting an activity out of your trip.
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