TOKYO, Sept 3 (NNN-NHK) – Japan’s weather agency said, a powerful typhoon is making its way north from the Nagasaki region to the northern part of Japan’s main island of Kyushu, while a sever tropical storm is also approaching the country from a different direction.
Typhoon Maysak, which has already pummelled Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, injuring eight people, is moving north, Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.
According to the agency, the powerful storm has a central atmospheric pressure of 940 hecto-pascals and is packing winds, at its core, of up to 162 kilometres per hour.
Maysak’s maximum instantaneous wind velocity was clocked at 234 kilometres per hour, JMA said, in issuing its warning for people to be vigilant for gusty winds, high waves, storm surges, as well as, possible landslides, flooding and swollen rivers.
Shinkansen bullet train services have been temporarily suspended, as a result of the typhoon, between Hiroshima and Hakata stations, on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line.
West Japan Railway said, the suspension of the service will continue until at least 8:00 a.m. local time today.
JMA said, Typhoon Maysak will likely continue on a northern trajectory towards the northern area of Kyushu, with unstable atmospheric conditions, leading to thunderstorms and torrential downpours.
The island has already begun to be lashed by strong gusts of winds, JMA said, as the typhoon is gathering in strength.
From today, Kyushu, Shikoku and Tokai regions are likely to be pummelled by downpours of up to 80 millimetres per hour, while also being struck by thunderstorms, JMA said.
The weather agency also said, for the next 24 hours, up to 300 millimetres of rain is expected in the Shikoku region, and as much as 250 millimetres in Kyushu and Tokai.
Over the 48-hour period through Friday morning, meanwhile, Shikoku and Tokai may well be inundated with between 100 and 200 millimetres of rain, JMA said.
The people of Kumamoto Prefecture are facing another possible disaster, having been battered by sustained heavy downpours in July, resulting in dozens of people losing their lives.
JMA also announced that, another powerful weather system is also bearing down on the archipelago, but from a different direction.
JMA said, this system, severe tropical storm Haishen, is on course to hit the western parts of Japan in the days ahead, and is currently making its approach from the Pacific.
Haishen is also packing tremendously strong winds, the weather agency said, and has the potential to dump record amounts of rainfall and deliver powerful gusts, as it approaches and possibly makes landfall in western Japan.– NNN-NHK
