Typhoon Ampil Approaches Eastern Japan, Bringing Floods and Disruptions

Typhoon Ampil Approaches Eastern Japan

On Friday, Typhoon Ampil made its way toward eastern Japan, bringing with it fierce winds and torrential rainfall. The storm resulted in significant flooding in parts of the greater Tokyo area, necessitating evacuations and leading to widespread disruptions in both business operations and travel schedules.

Japanese authorities have issued stark warnings about the potential for violent winds, high waves, and the risk of landslides associated with the storm. According to the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Ampil boasted maximum sustained winds reaching 132 miles per hour on Friday morning, which is comparable to a Category 4 hurricane.

Rainfall began in various regions of the greater Tokyo area early Friday, and by noon, reports indicated that roads were submerged, and trees had been uprooted in Chiba Prefecture, located to the east of Tokyo. The most intense winds and heaviest rainfall were anticipated to affect Japan by Friday evening, although forecasters indicated that the storm was not expected to make landfall.

For the 24-hour period commencing Friday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency projected rain totals of up to eight inches in the Tokyo area and the Izu Islands, situated south of the capital. Wind gusts of up to 56 miles per hour were also forecasted for the Tokyo region, prompting the agency to issue warnings for flooding, heavy rain, and high waves in the Izu Islands and surrounding prefectures, including Chiba, Fukushima, and Shizuoka. Many of these warnings were expected to remain in effect into Saturday.

In anticipation of the storm’s impact, the city of Mobara, located east of Tokyo, issued evacuation orders on Thursday for residents in areas vulnerable to landslides and flooding. The city cited the potential for significant damage from the typhoon and subsequently suspended municipal bus services on Friday.

The storm has also severely disrupted Japan’s logistics and delivery networks. Japan Post and Yamato Transport announced the suspension of operations in several prefectures. Sagawa Express reported that delays resulting from traffic restrictions, as well as ferry and flight cancellations, would affect regions as far north as Hokkaido.

Tokyo Disneyland announced it would close at 3 p.m. on Friday due to the approaching typhoon, effectively shortening its operational hours by six hours. Travel disruptions began as early as Thursday, with airlines and train operators preemptively suspending certain services in light of the anticipated severe weather.

On Friday, bullet train services connecting Tokyo and Nagoya, a nearby city, were canceled. Major airlines, including All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, reported the cancellation of over 670 flights scheduled for Friday and Saturday, impacting more than 120,000 passengers.

Forecasts indicate that Ampil will continue to move north along Japan’s eastern coastline before veering eastward on Saturday, eventually heading into the Pacific Ocean. It is important to note that typhoons are tropical cyclones that form in the Western Pacific or Indian Oceans with sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour, while hurricanes are their Atlantic counterparts, characterized by similar wind speeds.