Strong typhoon forecast to hit Japan this week, disrupting flights including dozens under JAL

TOKYO – A strong typhoon headed for southern Japan on Aug 26, with forecasters warning of heavy rains, powerful winds and possible transport problems later this week.

Typhoon Shanshan was expected to cross the Amami island area on Aug 28, packing gusts of up to 216kmh before veering towards the main southern island of Kyushu.

An official from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) told reporters there could be “violent storms” and “high waves” from Aug 27 until Aug 30.

In Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu, some 400mm of rain was expected in the 24 hours from noon on Aug 28, JMA forecaster Shuichi Tachihara said.

“It is necessary to be on high alert about heavy rain-linked disasters such as landslides, flooding of low-lying lands and river floods,” he said.

Railways, flights and highway traffic could be disrupted, Mr Satoshi Omatsu, a land and transport ministry official, added.

Japan Airlines or JAL said on Aug 26 it would cancel 39 domestic flights scheduled for Aug 27, and 77 domestic and six international flights on Aug 28 due to the forthcoming typhoon.

Typhoon Ampil

disrupted hundreds of flights and trains

earlier

in August,

dumping heavy rain but causing only minor injuries and damage as it churned up the Pacific coast past the Tokyo region.

That system came days after Tropical Storm Maria

dumped record rains in northern areas of Japan.

Typhoons in the region have been forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly and lasting longer over land due to climate change, according to a study released in July. AFP