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Japan warns ‘very dangerous’ typhoon to hit country’s southern Kyushu island
Japan’s weather agency on Saturday (Sep 17) warned of a “very dangerous” typhoon heading toward the country’s southern Kyushu island, urging residents to evacuate before powerful wind hits the area, the AFP reported, the al-Arabiya English said.
Typhoon Nanmadol was carrying gusts up to 270 kilometers on Saturday near the remote Minami Daito island, 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Okinawa island, the weather agency said.
The storm is expected to approach or make landfall on Sunday in the southern Kagoshima prefecture in Kyushu, then move north the following day before heading toward the main Japanese island.
“There are risks of unprecedented storms, high waves, storm surges, and record rainfall,” Ryuta Kurora, the head of the Japan Meteorological Agency’s forecast unit, told reporters.
“Maximum caution is required,” he said, urging residents to evacuate early. “It’s a very dangerous typhoon.”
Kurora said the weather agency was likely to issue the highest alert for Kagoshima later in the evening.
“The wind will be so fierce that some houses might collapse,” he said, also warning of flooding and landslides.
Typhoon Hinnamnor exits South Korea after dumping rain, winds
Japan is currently in typhoon season and is hit by around 20 such storms a year, routinely seeing heavy rains that cause landslides or flash floods.
It is worthy to note that Scientists say climate change is increasing the severity of storms and causing extreme weather such as heat waves, droughts and flash floods to become more frequent and intense.
Source: alarabiyaenglish
