Tokyo [Japan]: Faxai, the powerful typhoon, made landfall in Tokyo on early Monday, packing with strong winds and dumping endless amounts of heavy rain which is expected to cause significant travel disruptions in the city’s metropolitan area.
According to Japan’s Meteorological Agency, the typhoon made landfall in Chiba in eastern Tokyo before 5 am (local time) as torrential downpour battered Kanto area. Hundreds of people are expected to be inconvenienced with the imminent commuting chaos, Japan Times reported.
East Japan Railway Company said that all lines in the greater Tokyo area were suspended until around 8 am on Monday morning, as the firm will inspect the tracks for safety issues after Faxai made landfall.
In the wake of the storm, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have cancelled most of their domestic flights departing from and arriving at Haneda Airport in the city.
According to the weather agency’s forecast, central and eastern parts of Japan, including Tokyo, could witness record gust and heavy rains. It has also warned of possible mudslides and flooding triggered by the torrential downpour.
Authorities also issued non-compulsory evacuation warnings to more than 3,90,000 people in the affected regions.
Forecasters have predicted that Faxai would dump between 200 and 300 millimetres of rainfall to central and eastern Japan till Monday noon.
Power has been snapped in nearly 290,000 households in the region, while 10 houses were damaged in Shizouka and car flipped onto their sides due to the strong winds, local media reported.
Before the typhoon’s landfall, some departmental stores and amusement parks, including Tokyo Disneyland, were shut earlier than scheduled.