At least four million people in southern Japan have been ordered to evacuate as a powerful typhoon batters the region, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that caused power outages and paralyzed ground and air transport. The super typhoon was near the southern island of Yakushima, with maximum surface winds of 162 km/h (101 mph) as it slowly headed north towards Kyushu, the country’s third largest and southernmost island, where it could make landfall later in the day . the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on Sunday. Nanmadol is forecast to turn east and reach Tokyo on Tuesday. Broadcaster NHK said local authorities ordered four million people living in Kyushu to evacuate, with the JMA predicting the island could receive up to 500 millimeters (20 inches) of rain and wind gusts of up to 250 km/h (155 mph). The agency also warned residents in the affected area of flooding, landslides, as well as “unprecedented” levels of strong winds and waves and urged them to evacuate immediately. Local authorities have so far reported no significant damage or injuries. This September 17 NASA satellite image shows Typhoon Nanmadol approaching southwestern Japan [NASA Worldview, EOSDIS via AP] In hard-hit Kagoshima Prefecture, more than 9,000 residents took shelter in evacuation centers on Sunday. In neighboring Miyazaki Prefecture, another 4,700 people were evacuated. Kyushu Electric Power Co said more than 93,000 homes across the island were without power on Sunday due to damage to power lines and facilities. Footage on NHK television showed a pachinko pinball machine with part of its glass wall shattered by gusts of wind in the city of Kanoya in Kagoshima. Elsewhere in the prefecture, an elderly woman was slightly injured when she fell, according to NHK. Hundreds of domestic flights in and out of the region have been canceled and others are scheduled to be grounded in western Japan until Tuesday as the typhoon heads northeast, according to Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways. Public transport, including trains and buses, in Kagoshima and Miyazaki were suspended all day Sunday. Railway operators reported that bullet trains in Kyushu have stopped. The storm is expected to curve east and pass over Japan’s main island of Honshu early next week before moving out to sea by Wednesday.
