Tokyo, Aug. 13 (BNA) Tropical Storm Meri dumped heavy rain on Japan’s main island of Honshu, on its way north Saturday toward Tokyo, according to Japanese meteorological officials.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said Meri made landfall in Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, in the afternoon, bringing sudden heavy rain and high winds over a widespread area, prompting warnings of mudslides and floods.
The Associated Press (AP) said more than 72,000 people in the region’s main city of Shizuoka have been asked to evacuate due to possible landslides.
Meri, packing sustained winds of up to 72 kilometers (45 miles) per hour, passed over Shizuoka and was traveling at about 20 kilometers (12 miles) per hour and was expected to continue north before veering east, swinging over the Pacific Ocean. By early Sunday.
The Tokyo area has experienced periodic torrential rains that started late in the morning. High wave warnings were issued for coastal areas of Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, and other nearby areas.
And authorities warned against approaching rivers or other waters, as levels could rise suddenly. They said rainfall was expected to intensify in Tokyo and areas north of Tokyo in the evening. Warnings of flooding, strong winds and rain were issued in the Tokyo area.
Japanese media reports showed a video of the rivers rising dangerously, almost reaching the roofs of bridges, with rain falling on homes and people crawling in the streets clinging to their umbrellas.
Japan is in the middle of Bonn’s summer vacation, and vacationers are traveling in droves, but some have had to cancel or change plans.
The Rock in Japan 2022 festival, which began a week ago in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, canceled the event for Saturday, the last day of the outdoor festival, and promised to refund tickets.
All Nippon Airways canceled some domestic flights in response to the storm. Low-cost carrier Skymark Airlines has also canceled some flights. Express train services were delayed, and speed limits in the tunnels in Shizuoka were temporarily lowered as a cautionary measure. Parts of the Tomy Expressway, which links Tokyo and Nagoya, were temporarily closed due to heavy rain.
Northern Japan has seen some heavy rain recently, and concerns about landslides are growing. The rain was expected to subside early Sunday in the Tokyo area, but will then hit northeastern Japan.
The world’s third-largest economy has often seen deaths and injuries from monsoons and torrential rains damaging dams, blowing up rooftops and downing power lines.
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