Tropical Storm Jangmi makes landfall in Japan, triggering flood warnings - VIDEO

Typhoon Jangmi brought heavy rainfall to the Tokyo metropolitan area on Wednesday, causing rivers to swell to dangerous levels and disrupting transportation services after making landfall earlier in western Japan, News.Az reports, citing Kyodo.

The season’s sixth typhoon came ashore in the southern part of Wakayama Prefecture at approximately 4:30 a.m., prompting concerns about flooding in the region.

At one stage, Japan’s weather agency issued its highest Level 5 flood danger warning for the Koza River, reporting that the river had begun to overflow. Local authorities later lifted an emergency safety measure for downstream communities at 8:50 a.m.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the government had received reports of flooded roads, fallen trees, and landslides across a broad area stretching from Kyushu to the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, as the typhoon brought intense rainfall to many parts of the country.

According to Kihara, 15 people in Okinawa Prefecture had suffered minor injuries and six homes had sustained damage as of 6 a.m.

Heavy rain continued to affect the Tokyo metropolitan area throughout the morning, leading authorities to issue flood danger warnings for several rivers in the capital. Such warnings indicate that residents in vulnerable areas should prepare for possible evacuation and may need to leave before local governments issue formal evacuation orders.

The Japan Meteorological Agency and local authorities also issued landslide warnings for parts of Tokyo, including the Shinagawa district. Heavy rain warnings remained in effect for Tokyo as well as neighboring Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures and other surrounding areas.

The severe weather also disrupted transportation. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled all domestic flights scheduled for the morning at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, along with several international services. In addition, some JR limited express train routes connecting the Tokyo region with other parts of the country were suspended.

The weather agency reported that a linear rainband, a weather phenomenon known for producing extremely heavy rainfall, had formed earlier in southern Wakayama Prefecture, contributing to the dangerous conditions.

The agency expects the typhoon to move eastward on the country's Pacific side, and has warned the public about heavy rains and the risk of rain-related disasters.

It is forecasting up to 200 millimeters of rainfall in the Tokai and Kanto-Koshin regions, as well as up to 120 mm in the Tohoku region over a 24-hour period through 6 a.m. Thursday.

If any further linear rainbands develop, the areas where they occur are likely to see even higher rainfall totals, it added.

As the typhoon brushed past the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku earlier, the agency issued level 4 flood danger warnings for rivers in Miyazaki and Tokushima prefectures, urging all residents in dangerous areas to evacuate.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev