Typhoon Lan makes landfall in Japan, thousands urged to seek safety

TOKYO, Aug 15 (Reuters) – Nearly 900 flights in Japan were canceled and 240,000 people ordered to safety as a slow-moving typhoon swept across Japan’s main island of Honshu, not far from the former capital of Kyoto, cutting off power to dozens of people. of thousands of homes.

Typhoon Lan, approaching from the Pacific Ocean, made landfall Tuesday morning in the southern tip of Wakayama Prefecture, about 400 km (250 miles) southwest of Tokyo, bringing heavy rain and strong winds across of a wide swath of central and western Japan. moved north.

Authorities issued flood and landslide warnings as rivers burst their banks and parts of some bridges were washed away. Tornadoes formed in several areas but did not cause major damage.

By evening, the center of the storm, which had weakened to tropical storm strength, was moving closer to the Sea of ​​Japan, though forecasters warned that concentrated rain was still possible over a wide area.

It continued to move slowly, at around 15 kilometers per hour (9.3 mph), increasing the potential for flooding as rain hit the same areas for a long time. Parts of central Japan recorded 585 mm (23 inches) of rain in the 24 hours up to 7:00 pm (10:00 GMT).

Some two dozen people were injured, one of them in serious condition, NHK public television said.

Authorities said they had set up evacuation centers in secure buildings and high ground for residents of 11 prefectures who were told by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency to seek shelter.

In addition to the disruption of flights, dangerous rain and wind forced the closure of some roads and the suspension of dozens of train services, although some roads were reopening on Tuesday afternoon.

The storm comes days after Typhoon Khanun hit Japan during its peak holiday season in Obon, when many factories close and city dwellers return to their home cities and towns.

Power outages affected nearly 90,000 homes in the central and western areas, utility companies said. seven and me (3382.T) It said some 210 7-Eleven convenience store outlets were closed for security reasons.

Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Satoshi Sugiyama and Elaine Lies, editing by Shri Navaratnam, Lincoln Feast and Bernadette Baum

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