Typhoon Ampil Forces Massive Evacuations and Disrupts Transport in Tokyo Area

Tokyo: A powerful typhoon, Typhoon Ampil, is causing significant disruption across eastern Japan, with thousands evacuated and extensive cancellations affecting flights and trains.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported on Friday that Typhoon Ampil was situated approximately 170 kilometers (105 miles) south of Choshi City in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo. The typhoon, which is currently moving over the Pacific Ocean, is expected to approach the Greater Tokyo area later today, bringing with it severe weather conditions including intense winds and heavy rain.

Typhoon Ampil is packing winds of up to 45 meters per second, with gusts reaching 60 meters per second (216 km/h or 134 mph). The JMA has warned that these conditions could cause substantial damage, including potential injuries from flying debris and overturned vehicles.

In response to the imminent threat, authorities have issued evacuation orders for several areas. Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture, located north of Tokyo, has ordered approximately 323,000 residents to evacuate. Similarly, Mobara City in Chiba Prefecture has directed around 18,500 residents to evacuate. Other cities across the Kanto region have also established evacuation centers and advised residents to evacuate voluntarily.

The storm’s impact is being felt across the region, with more than 2,500 households in the Kanto area experiencing power outages, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company. Transport has been severely affected, with dozens of flights cancelled at Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports, as well as Kansai and Chubu airports. Airline group ANA Holdings, including its subsidiary Air Japan, has cancelled 281 domestic flights and 54 international flights scheduled for Friday, impacting nearly 70,000 passengers. Additionally, Haneda Airport will see 32 flights cancelled on Saturday, affecting around 2,300 passengers.

The typhoon has also disrupted Japan’s famed Shinkansen bullet trains. Services between Tokyo and Nagoya have been suspended for the day, and bullet trains serving northeastern Japan, along with some local Tokyo trains, are either halted or operating on a reduced schedule.

Officials have cautioned residents to avoid rivers and beaches and to be alert for the potentially hazardous winds. The situation remains fluid as the typhoon progresses, and further disruptions are anticipated.