A heavy downpour and strong winds pounded Tokyo and surrounding areas on Saturday as a powerful typhoon forecast as worst in six deces approached landfall, with streets and train stations deserted and shops shuttered. Store shelves were bare after people stocked up on water and food ahe of Typhoon Hagibis. Nearby beaches, deserted of surfers, were lashed with towering waves. Japan Meteorological ncy called an afteron news conference to warn of heavy rainfall in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, including Gunma, Saitama, and Kanagawa.

“Be rey for rainfall of kind that you have never experienced,” said ncy official Yasushi Kajihara, ding that areas usually safe from disasters may prove vulnerable.“Take all measures necessary to save your life,” he said.

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Safety measures issued by Japan Meteorological ncy

Kajihara said people who live near rivers must take shelter on second floor or higher of any sturdy building if an officially designated evacuation center wasn’t easily accessible. He also expressed fears that disaster may have alrey struck in some areas. Hagibis, which means “speed” in Filipi, was vancing rth-rthwestward with maximum sustained winds of 162 kilometers (100 miles) per hour, according to meteorological ncy. It was expected to make landfall near Tokyo later Saturday, unleashing up to 55 millimeters (20 inches) of rain before blowing out to sea.

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Hagibis wreaks havoc in Japan

storm brought heavy rainfall in wide areas of Japan ahe of its landfall, including Shizuoka and Mie prefectures, southwest of Tokyo, as well as Chiba to rth, which saw power outs and damd homes in a typhoon last month. Under gloomy skies, a torno ripped through Chiba on Saturday, overturning a car in city of Ichihara and killing a man inside, city official Tatsuya Sakamaki said. Five people were also injured when torno ripped through a house. ir injuries were t life-threatening, Sakamaki said. heavy rain caused rivers to swell, flipped anchored boats and whipped up sea waters in a dangerous surge along coast, flooding some residential neighborhoods and leaving people to we in ankle-deep waters and cars floating. In Shizuoka prefecture, one of two men who went missing in Nishikawa River was rescued, Gotemba city official Fumihiko Katsumata said. Firefighters said two men were working at a river canal to try to control overflowing when y were swept away. Yusuke Ikegaya, a Shizuoka resident, was lucky and evacuated to safety. He said he was surprised because he h been told typhoon would make landfall in afteron but ticed nearby river about to overflow in morning.

“In 28 years of my life, this is first time I’ve h to evacuate even before a typhoon has landed,” he said.

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Effects of typhoon

Authorities also warned of mudslides, common in mountaius Japan. Public brocaster NHK said Shiroyama dam in Kanagawa prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, may release some of its waters, which were nearing limits. An overflooded dam is likely to cause greater dam, and so releasing some water grually is a standard emergency measure. Rugby World Cup matches, concerts and or events in area were canceled, while flights were grounded and train services halted. Authorities acted quickly, with warnings issued earlier in week, including urging people to stay indoors. Some 17,000 police and military troops were called up, standing rey for rescue operations.

Residents taped up ir apartment windows in case y shattered. TV talks show showed foot of household items like a slipper bashing through glass when hurled by winds. Evacuation visories were issued for risk areas, including Shimoda city, west of Tokyo. Dozens of evacuation centers were opening in coastal towns, and people were resting on gymnasium floors, saying y hoped ir homes were still re after storm passed. 

typhoon disrupted a three-day weekend that includes Sports Day on Monday. Qualifying for a Formula One auto race in Suzuka was pushed to Sunday. Defense Ministry cut a three-day annual navy review to a single day on Monday. All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines grounded most domestic and international flights at Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya airports. Central Japan Railway Co. canceled bullet-train service between Tokyo and Osaka except for several early Saturday trains connecting Nagoya and Osaka. Tokyo Disneyland was closed. Ginza department stores and smaller shops throughout Tokyo were shuttered. A typhoon that hit Tokyo region in 1958 left more than 1,200 people de and half a million houses flooded.

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