6 feared dead, evacuation advisories in place as strongest typhoon in 25yrs hits Japan

Typhoon Jebi, the strongest cyclone in 25 years, has ripped through Japan, leaving at least 6 people dead, according to reports. Evacuation advisories for over a million people were issued and around 800 flights canceled.

Jebi is classed as a “very strong” typhoon, Ryuta Kurora, the chief forecaster from the Japan Meteorological Agency, told AFP. “This is [the strongest] since 1993,” Kurora said. 

Over 1 million people were advised to evacuate as heavy winds and rains started picking up, Reuters reports, citing the fire and disaster management agency. The authorities have already issued evacuation orders for Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, Kagawa, Ehime, and Wakayama prefectures in the southwest of the country, with government spokesman Yoshihide Suga urging the public to “evacuate early.”

According to NHK broadcaster, the typhoon killed at least 6 people. 

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The population was told to be vigilant about possible flooding and mudslides. The typhoon forced the authorities to cancel around 800 domestic and international flights, according to local media. Also, a number of railway operators halted some services across the country.

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Kansai International Airport has been flooded and flights have been suspended, NHK reported. Also, a fuel tanker collided into a bridge linking the airport and the city of Izumisano, a video released on Twitter shows. 

Footage on Twitter shows Kyoto Station, Japan’s second-largest station, being damaged due to the typhoon.

Tides at the Port of Osaka, the country’s main port, have already surpassed the 2.93-meter mark which was recorded in 1961, according to NHK.

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