Typhoon Faxai causes chaos in Japan
September 9, 2019
One of the strongest typhoons to hit the Japanese capital in recent years swept through Tokyo on Monday, killing one person and injuring more than 30. Winds reached speeds of up to 216 kilometers (134 miles) per hour.
The typhoon also wreaked havoc on Japan's notoriously busy rush hour commute and knocked out power to more than 900,000 homes.
Train and subway services were suspended and more than 100 flights out of Tokyo's airports were cancelled as Typhoon Faxai made landfall in the northern suburb of Chiba just before dawn.
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Forecasters had earlier warned of possible record wind speeds. Non-mandatory evacuation orders were in place for nearly 340,000 people.
Authorities said more than 2,000 people sought refuge in shelters after evacuating.
At least 10 homes were damaged with shattered windows and flipped cars. Strong winds downed trees and power lines, and scaffolding was torn from buildings. More than 900,000 power failures in the Tokyo area were also reported.
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By mid-Monday morning, the storm had receded back offshore and moved northeast away from Japan and back into the Pacific Ocean.
Japan's weather agency warned that landslides were still possible in Chiba and the northern Fukushima region as the storm headed away from land.
mmc/rt (AFP, AP, Reuters)