1 missing, 50 injured as strong typhoon lashes Japan

0

OSAKA: A large and powerful typhoon lashed Shikoku Island and parts of the Kinki region in western Japan early today, leaving one people missing and 50 injured in 15 prefectures, according to China’s Xinhua news agency, citing local press reports.

At around 12.30am local time Wednesday, Typhoon Ma-on, this year’s sixth typhoon, hit the southern part of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku –  the first typhoon landfall in Japan this year, with strong winds of over 90 km per hour, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

As of 6am, torrential rain and strong winds due to the typhoon have left an 84-year-old man went missing after going out to check on a boat at the Shimanto River in Okayama Prefecture.

In Shizuoka Prefecture in eastern Japan, a total of 96 mountain climbers were isolated in a lodge after heavy rain blocked the road.

The reports said that powerful winds overturned a truck on the Seto-Chuo Expressway, a 39km freeway spanning the Seto Inland Sea via the Seto Ohashi network of bridges.

East Japan Railway Co. said the typhoon had caused delays of up to around 55 minutes to Akita Shinkansen bullet train services and about 40 minutes to Tohoku Shinkansen services. It also partially suspended services on local lines and halted eight overnight train services connecting eastern and western Japan.

Shikoku Railway Co. said it had halted services on all lines, while West Japan Railway Co. canceled some services and operated trains at reduced speeds.

All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines and other airlines said they had cancelled a number of flights in and out of airports in Kochi, Osaka, Hyogo and Hiroshima prefectures.

A number of expressways were closed in affected areas, the reports said. – Bernama