Strong winds disrupt traffic, kill 2 in Japan
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, April 4, 2012
|
|
|
Strong winds lashed wide parts of Japan, causing disruptions in public transportation and claiming two lives. |
Strong winds lashed wide parts of Japan, causing disruptions in public transportation and claiming two lives.
The gusts had disrupted operations of flights and train services in western Japan in the morning. Japan Airlines had canceled at least 200 flights, while All Nippon Airways grounded more than 300 domestic flights due to the strong winds. The passengers affected by the cancellations hit about 70,000.
Bullet train linking Tokyo and Osaka, two major cities in the country, experienced delays and brief suspensions.
Heavy rains hit western and southwestern parts of the country along the gusts on Tuesday. Two people have been killed, one in central Toyama, and the other in Ishikawa prefectures, and more than 160 people were injured in the typhoon-strength storm across the country, according to local media reports.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that an active low pressure system and fronts would cause strong winds in northern and northeastern prefectures from later Tuesday to Wednesday.
Strong winds of over 100 kilometers per hour could hit wide areas in western, eastern and northern Japan, including Tokyo and its vicinity, according to a Kyodo News report.
The weather agencies advised people to stay indoors and companies asked people to go home early. Many stores closed early.
In Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures, commuters were advised by the operators to return home early in case that strong winds would affect train services.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)