storm
Strong typhoon hits southern Japan
A violent typhoon churns the sea on the coast of Miyazaki, southern Japan. photo
© Uncredited/Kyodo News/AP/dpa
Strong gusts of wind and heavy rain: southern Japan has been hit by a violent typhoon. People fled to emergency shelters.
A violent typhoon hit southern Japan with strong squalls and heavy rain. Thousands of residents had to seek shelter from the storms, and train and air traffic was affected on Sunday.
On the southwestern main island, the Japanese television station NHK reported isolated injuries, but there were no reports of major damage or fatalities.
The Japanese weather agency warned of the danger of “unprecedented” strong gusts of wind, high waves and landslides as a result of the heavy rainfall. Residents of affected regions were called upon to get to safety in good time.
The weather authority had previously issued the highest typhoon warning for Kagoshima Prefecture, which is located on Kyushu and was particularly hard hit. Thousands went to emergency shelters there on Sunday, including in neighboring Miyazaki Prefecture. Tens of thousands of homes across Kyushu temporarily lost power. The slowly moving hurricane is likely to head northeast after the long weekend due to the holiday and also cause heavy rain on the main island of Honshu with the capital Tokyo.