Typhoon Ampil approaches Tokyo, forcing cancellation of flights and train services
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The authorities urged the public to be highly vigilant against storms, high waves and heavy rain.
PHOTO: AFP
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TOKYO - Typhoon Ampil bore down on Tokyo on Aug 15, prompting airlines to cancel hundreds of flights and railways to suspend part of their operations
The typhoon, categorised as “strong” by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), was about 690km off Japan’s Pacific coast at 9am local time (8am Singapore time), and heading towards Tokyo and its surrounding regions. The agency has two higher categories – “very strong” and “violent”.
Ampil was blowing winds of 35m per second (126kmh), with a maximum gust of 50m per second (180kmh), according to the JMA.
“With this typhoon approaching, we urge the public to be highly vigilant against storms, high waves and heavy rains,” a JMA official told a news conference.
Japan Airlines said it planned to cancel 191 domestic and 26 international flights, many of them leaving or arriving at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, on Aug 16.
Another major airline, ANA, announced it would cancel 280 domestic flights that were originally slated for Aug 16, affecting more than 60,000 passengers.
Central Japan Railway said it would cancel all bullet train services between Tokyo and Japan’s industrial heartland of Nagoya on Aug 16. REUTERS
