Japan braces for strong typhoon approaching eastern regions

Coming less than a month after torrential rains and floods devastated western regions, Typhoon Jongdari is forecast to dump intense rain on wide areas of western Japan, the weather agency said. People in disaster-hit areas were warned to be vigilant for further landslides and flooding, KYODO NEWS reports.

In areas facing the Pacific, rainfall of more than 80 millimeters per hour is likely to be seen. By Saturday night, the typhoon is expected to move toward the coast of Irozaki at the tip of the Izu Peninsula, south of Tokyo.

Maintaining its strength, the typhoon is packing winds of up to 180 kilometers per hour, said the agency, also warning of strong gusts and high waves.

At an ad hoc news conference, Minako Sakurai, head of the Japan Meteorological Agency's weather consultation center, urged members of the public who are called on to evacuate to do so as soon as they can, as it would be hard to reach shelters when it gets dark amid strong rain and stormy winds.

Transportation has been affected, with airlines canceling some flights Saturday, including those connecting with the Kinki region in western Japan.

As of noon, the season's 12th typhoon was moving over the Pacific Ocean about 200 km east of Hachijo Island in the Izu island chain and moving northwest at a speed of 45 kph. It had an atmospheric pressure of 970 hectopascals at its center.

The agency forecast that after the typhoon makes landfall, it is likely to gradually slow down and take an unusual turn to the west.

Typhoons typically approach the Japanese archipelago from the southwest, and many follow a southwest-to-northeast course due partly to the effect of the westerly jet stream and high pressure over the Pacific.