Japan Prepares For Powerful Typhoon Jebi
Japan is preparing for a powerful Typhoon Jebi with weather authorities warning of heavy rain, high waves and strong gales.
A weather agency official during a news conference urged the public to evacuate early as the season’s 21st typhoon is expected to bring powerful winds to wide areas of the country.
The agency also said the storm could produce waves up to 11 meters high around the Kinki region and the south-western island of Shikoku as it approaches the country’s mainland.
The typhoon is projected to make landfall in western Japan on Tuesday, according to the agency.
The agency said as of noon (0300 GMT), the eye of the storm was located some 200 km north-east of Minami Daito Island, travelling north-west at 20 km per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 162 kph and gusts of 234 kph.
In early July, torrential rains battered western Japan, triggering landslides and floods, killing more than 220 people and destroying homes and roads – the deadliest weather-related disaster in more than three decades.