Typhoon Nanmadol bears down on Japan
A powerful typhoon approaching southern Japan is pounding the region with strong winds and heavy rain causing blackouts and the evacuation of thousands of people.
A high wave overflows a breakwater at Haruno Fishery Port in Kochi, Japan. Photo: AP Images
The Meteorological Agency on Sunday said Typhoon Nanmadol was near the southern island of Yakushima, packing maximum surface winds of 160km/h as it slowly headed north to the country’s main southern island of Kyushu where it could make landfall later in the day.
Nanmadol is forecast to turn east and reach Tokyo on Tuesday.
The agency predicted as much as 50cm of rainfall by midday on Monday, warning of flooding and landslides.
The agency also warned residents in the affected areas of “unprecedented” levels of powerful winds and waves, urging them to evacuate early.
Local authorities so far reported no major damage or injuries.
In the hard-hit Kagoshima prefecture, more than 9000 residents took shelter at evacuation centres on Sunday.
In the neighbouring Miyazaki prefecture, another 4700 people evacuated.
Kyushu Electric Power Co. said more than 93,000 homes across the Kyushu island were without electricity because of damage to power lines and facilities.
Hundreds of domestic flights in and out of the region have been cancelled and more are planned to be grounded in western Japan through Tuesday as the typhoon headed northeast, according to Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.
Public transportation including trains and buses in Kagoshima and Miyazaki were suspended throughout Sunday.
Railway operators said bullet trains on the Kyushu island have been suspended.
Meantime, the entire island of Puerto Rico is without power as Hurricane Fiona made landfall and threatened to cause “catastrophic flooding” and landslides before barreling toward the Dominican Republic, a government agency said.
The centre of the storm made landfall on the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico near Punta Tocon at 3.20pm local time with maximum sustained winds of about 140 km/h, clearing the threshold for a Category 1 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said.
Electricity was out across the island of 3.3 million people, LUMA Energy, operator of the island’s grid and the Puerto Rico power authority said in a statement.
LUMA said restoring power fully could take several days.
Puerto Rico’s ports have been closed and flights out of the main airport canceled.
-AAP
