Typhoon barrels toward flood-hit western Japan

TOKYO: A powerful typhoon is on track to batter parts of western Japan that were hit earlier this month by devastating flooding and landslides, Japanese officials warned on Friday. Typhoon Jongdari is currently packing winds of nearly 200 kilometers an hour and is forecast to hit the country’s main island on Saturday night, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said. It is taking a relatively rare northwest course, which will put the disaster-hit areas directly in its crosshairs. Authorities are warning of heavy rain, landslides, strong winds and high waves, and urging people to consider early evacuation. On Friday, the storm was about 1,200 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, heading towards Chichijima Island, but it is expected to barrel towards the western Chugoku region by late Saturday. The region was hit earlier this month by record rainfall that caused flooding and landslides, killing around 220 people. It was Japan’s worst weather-related disaster in decades, and many residents of affected areas are still living in shelters or damaged homes.

AFP