The approximation of typhoon khanunnow a strong tropical storm, has once again caused severe disruptions to air and rail transport in the south-west of Japanin addition to leading the authorities to order the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
The sixth typhoon of the season in the Peacefulwhich already caused the stoppage of the air Transport in the prefecture of Okinawa and left two dead and dozens injured at the beginning of last week, is moving this Wednesday towards the coast of the southwestern regions of Kagoshima and Kumamoto, after having made a 180-degree turn in its trajectory in the previous days.
At 09:00 local time the khanun It was about 110 kilometers off the coast of Kyushu, Japan’s third largest island, moving at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour, according to data from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The approach of the front has already brought heavy rains (forecasts point to more than 200 millimeters in several areas during the next 24 hours) and wind gusts of more than 45 meters per second in this region, through which it will move until Thursday .
The torrential rains accumulated at the Khanun pass could reach record levels until Friday in several areas of the south-west of the country, according to the JMA.
The Japanese authorities have declared a weather alert due to the risk of flooding, storm surge and landslides in the southwest of the archipelago, and have issued evacuation orders affecting tens of thousands of people in the prefectures of Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki , Oita, Saga, Fukuoka, Kochi and Tokushima.
Around 350 planned flights to or from different airports in Kyushu have been canceled this Wednesday, according to the airlines, while maritime connections from this region have also suffered widespread cancellations.
The storm has also caused the suspension or reduction of the commuter and high-speed rail connection service in different sections between the stations of Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Kokura, Hakata, Kagoshima and Kumamoto, among others.
South Korea, also on alert
South Korea It is also on alert for the arrival of the typhoon on its southeast coast, scheduled for the early hours of this Wednesday and Thursday, and which is expected to also leave torrential rains.
The arrival of the Khanun led the organizers of an international congregation of Scouts that had been held in South Korea since the beginning of the month to cancel the event, with which the evacuation of the near 40,000 young people participants who were in the camping area in the southwest of the country.
In addition to Khanun, another weather front, Tropical Storm Lan, is currently south of Japan and moving towards Japan’s east coast, and is expected to approach the capital area this weekend.
