The meteorological phenomenon follows a northern trajectory, which should make it pass on the immense agglomeration of Tokyo, where all the air, rail and metro lines are suspended.
The powerful Typhoon Hagibis reached the coast of Japan in the evening of Saturday, October 12, with torrential rains and winds that caused the death of two people according to a provisional assessment. The meteorological phenomenon follows a northern trajectory, which should make it pass over the immense agglomeration of Tokyo, where all the air, rail and metro lines are suspended during this weekend extended by a holiday Monday.
The typhoon center touched down shortly before 7 pm in the Izu Peninsula, more than 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported. Its intensity has been reviewed at " powerful " instead of "Very powerful" by the JMA, but gusts of up to 216 km / h were still expected.
Evacuation recommendations for 7.3 million inhabitants were issued during Saturday's rainy day " unprecedented " leading to the triggering of the maximum rainfall alert. In the early evening, just over 50,000 people had followed these evacuation instructions, which were not mandatory.
One dead, three missing
Even before the typhoon hit the coast, his fringes caused a casualty in the area of Chiba (eastern suburbs of Tokyo): a 49-year-old man found in a van overturned, according to firefighters. The authorities also deplored at least three missing and thirty wounded including four serious.
As if the fate wanted to bait on Chiba, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake broke off this prefecture at 6:22 pm – a shock also felt in Tokyo. No tsunami warnings were triggered.
The meteorological agency predicts fifty centimeters of rain over the Tokyo metropolitan area in twenty-four hours until Sunday at midday, and even more in the center of the country. Rainfall that fears landslides. In Sagamihara, southwest of Tokyo, a mudslide engulfed three houses in one of which was an elderly man, who was saved.
The Scotland-Japan match in suspense
The authorities also warned of the increased risk of high waves and floods, the risk of which was increased by the approach of the full moon, which amplifies the tides. The television channels looped images of flooded rivers and gigantic waves breaking on coastal dykes.
Factories, including those of automakers Toyota and Honda, were shut down. Many supermarkets and mini markets in the capital were closed after being assaulted Friday by residents, came to make reservations.
The storm has already disrupted the organization of two sports competitions held in Japan: the Suzuka Formula 1 Grand Prix qualifiers (center) were postponed to Sunday morning and two matches of the Rugby World Cup to be held on Saturday (France- England and New Zealand-Italy) were canceled on Thursday.
Hagibis also risked compromising Scotland's meeting with Japan on Sunday, decisive for Scotland. The organizers had to make their decision on Sunday morning.
Japan is hit by twenty typhoons each year. Before Hagibis, Faxai had killed at least two people in early September and caused extensive damage to Chiba.
