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Typhoon Hagibis Slams Into Japan, After Landslides, Floods and a Quake Typhoon Hagibis Slams Into Japan, After Landslides, Floods and a Quake
(about 1 hour later)
This is a developing news story. Check back for updates.This is a developing news story. Check back for updates.
TOKYO — Typhoon Hagibis made landfall in Japan around 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, after its outer bands had lashed the country’s eastern coast with heavy rains most of the day and residents had moved to evacuation centers.TOKYO — Typhoon Hagibis made landfall in Japan around 7 p.m. local time on Saturday, after its outer bands had lashed the country’s eastern coast with heavy rains most of the day and residents had moved to evacuation centers.
Before it landed, the storm had brought landslides, record rainfall and flooding. An earthquake measuring 5.7 magnitude also shook Chiba, east of Tokyo, in the early evening. Before it landed, the storm had brought landslides, record rainfall and flooding and violent winds. An earthquake measuring 5.7 magnitude also shook Chiba, east of Tokyo, early Saturday evening.
As of Saturday afternoon, one death had been reported in a cyclone in Chiba. One death had been reported in a cyclone in Chiba. And Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported that another man died after a landslide crushed his home in Tomioka City in Gunma Prefecture. Landslides were also reported in Sagamihara, a suburb outside Tokyo, as well as in Shizuoka.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said Saturday afternoon that sustained winds from the typhoon had been measured at about 100 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 135 miles per hour, the third-strongest category. The storm made landfall Saturday evening in Ito, a resort town on the Izu Peninsula southwest of Tokyo. The storm made landfall Saturday evening in Ito, a resort town on the Izu Peninsula southwest of Tokyo.
On Friday, the agency warned that Hagibis could rival the Kanogawa typhoon of 1958, which killed more than 1,200 people in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Tokyo region. The Japan Meteorological Agency said Saturday afternoon that sustained winds from the typhoon had been measured at about 100 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 135 miles per hour, the third-strongest category.
On Saturday afternoon, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a rare, highest-level warning of extreme rain in seven prefectures including Saitama and Shizuoka. Residents were urged to evacuate or move to higher floors in the “nearest sturdy building” in order to protect against “imminent danger.” By Saturday night, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported that local governments had ordered 2.8 million people to evacuate their homes. Those included 432,000 people who had been advised to evacuate in the Edogawa ward of Tokyo because of fears of heavy flooding. In Kawasaki City, outside Tokyo, more than 900,000 people had been urged to evacuate, according to NHK.
Less than an hour after the typhoon made landfall, the agency added five more prefectures to the extreme-rain warning list. In a first for central Tokyo, two wards received torrential rainfall warnings. Tokyo Electric Power Company said that more than 211,000 households were without power across Tokyo and Shizuoka.
Landslides were reported in Sagamihara, a suburb outside Tokyo, as well as in Shizuoka and Gunma prefectures. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported that another man died after a landslide crushed his home in Tomioka City in Gunma Prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a rare, highest-level warning of extreme rain in 12 prefectures including Saitama and Shizuoka, urging residents to evacuate or move to higher floors in the “nearest sturdy building” in order to protect against “imminent danger.”
In a first for central Tokyo, two wards received torrential rainfall warnings.
Water levels in close to 30 rivers, in prefectures including Tokyo, Kanagawa, Gunma and Shizuoka, had already exceeded levels considered dangerous by the meteorological agency. The central government’s land ministry ordered several dams to release water after rivers swelled with the record-setting rain.Water levels in close to 30 rivers, in prefectures including Tokyo, Kanagawa, Gunma and Shizuoka, had already exceeded levels considered dangerous by the meteorological agency. The central government’s land ministry ordered several dams to release water after rivers swelled with the record-setting rain.
Tokyo Electric Power Company said that more than 211,000 households were without power across Tokyo and Shizuoka. The weather agency said the southeastern Tokai region could receive as much as 31 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. NHK reported that Hakone, a popular tourist destination in the mountains west of Tokyo, received more than 35 inches of rain in just 24 hours, the most for a single day since records started in 1974. NHK reported that Hakone, a popular tourist destination in the mountains west of Tokyo, received more than 35 inches of rain in just 24 hours, the most for a single day since records started in 1974.
As Hagibis approached this week — at one point the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, with 160 m.p.h. winds — the Japanese authorities prepared for disruptions in the lives of millions. About 1.5 million people live below sea level in eastern parts of Tokyo, and meteorologists warned that as many as five million people might need to be evacuated if waters overwhelmed the levees in low-lying areas. The weather agency said the southeastern Tokai region could receive as much as 31 inches of rain in a 24-hour period.
By Saturday night, NHK reported that local governments had ordered 2.8 million people to evacuate their homes. Those included 432,000 people who had been advised to evacuate in the Edogawa ward of Tokyo because of fears of heavy flooding. In Kawasaki City, outside Tokyo, more than 900,000 people had been urged to evacuate, according to NHK.
Hundreds of flights were canceled in anticipation of Hagibis, including all of All Nippon Airways’ domestic and international flights from airports in the Tokyo area on Saturday. Japan Railways suspended service in the Tokyo region on Saturday, as well as bullet train service between Tokyo and Osaka.Hundreds of flights were canceled in anticipation of Hagibis, including all of All Nippon Airways’ domestic and international flights from airports in the Tokyo area on Saturday. Japan Railways suspended service in the Tokyo region on Saturday, as well as bullet train service between Tokyo and Osaka.
With the storm bearing down, Rugby World Cup organizers for the first time canceled two matches in Japan. Tourist attractions in Tokyo, including the Disneyland and DisneySea theme parks and the Ueno Zoo, closed on Saturday, as did hundreds of supermarkets and department stores in the city and nearby prefectures.With the storm bearing down, Rugby World Cup organizers for the first time canceled two matches in Japan. Tourist attractions in Tokyo, including the Disneyland and DisneySea theme parks and the Ueno Zoo, closed on Saturday, as did hundreds of supermarkets and department stores in the city and nearby prefectures.
In Chiba Prefecture, a region still recovering from Typhoon Faxai in September, dozens of people began filing into repurposed schools and other evacuation centers. Faxai destroyed nearly 200 homes and left about 900,000 people without power. As Hagibis approached this week — at one point the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane, with 160 m.p.h. winds — the Japanese authorities prepared for disruptions in the lives of millions. About 1.5 million people live below sea level in eastern parts of Tokyo, and meteorologists warned that as many as five million people might need to be evacuated if waters overwhelmed the levees in low-lying areas.
On Friday in Tokyo, the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization warned that tropical cyclones like Typhoon Hagibis were “among the most devastating of all natural hazards.” On Friday, the Japan Meteorological Agency warned that Hagibis could rival the Kanogawa typhoon of 1958, which killed more than 1,200 people in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Tokyo region.
On the same day, the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization warned that tropical cyclones like Typhoon Hagibis were “among the most devastating of all natural hazards.”
Speaking at a meeting with Japanese officials, the secretary general, Petteri Taalas, said that since 1970, seven of the 10 disasters that caused the biggest economic losses around the world had been tropical cyclones. “They wreak havoc with their violent winds, torrential rainfall and associated storm surges and floods,” he said.Speaking at a meeting with Japanese officials, the secretary general, Petteri Taalas, said that since 1970, seven of the 10 disasters that caused the biggest economic losses around the world had been tropical cyclones. “They wreak havoc with their violent winds, torrential rainfall and associated storm surges and floods,” he said.
This week, Jeff Masters, a meteorologist with the magazine Scientific American, warned that a direct hit on Tokyo Bay could be “a multibillion dollar disaster.” Last year, Typhoon Jebi, the worst typhoon in 25 years, killed 11 people, injured hundreds and caused an estimated $12.6 billion in damage.This week, Jeff Masters, a meteorologist with the magazine Scientific American, warned that a direct hit on Tokyo Bay could be “a multibillion dollar disaster.” Last year, Typhoon Jebi, the worst typhoon in 25 years, killed 11 people, injured hundreds and caused an estimated $12.6 billion in damage.
Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Bahamas this year, obliterating homes in its path. Cyclone Idai barreled through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, becoming one of the deadliest storms ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere.
All were tropical cyclones: circular storms that form over warm waters, with very low air pressure at the center and minimum winds of 74 m.p.h. But their location determines what they are called.
Typhoons develop in the northwestern Pacific. Hurricanes form in the North Atlantic, the northeastern Pacific, the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico. When a hurricane crosses the international date line in the Pacific, its status changes: Heading west, a hurricane becomes a typhoon, and heading east, a typhoon becomes a hurricane.
Storms that form in the southern Indian Ocean or the South Pacific are called tropical cyclones, and in the northern Indian Ocean simply cyclones. The storms receive their names — like Hagibis or Dorian — according to a list maintained by the World Meteorological Organization.
Storm seasons arrive at different moments in different parts of the world. Typhoons are most common from May to October; hurricane season officially lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30. Hurricane strength is rated on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which is based on sustained wind speed. The Japan Meteorological Agency rates typhoons by sustained wind speed, with three classifications: “typhoon,” “very strong typhoon” and “violent typhoon.”
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center, an American military command based in Hawaii, classifies the storms by four names: “tropical depression,” “tropical storm,” “typhoon” and “super typhoon.”
Reporting was contributed by Eimi Yamamitsu and Makiko Inoue from Chiba, Japan; Hisako Ueno from Okayama, Japan; and Alan Yuhas from New York.Reporting was contributed by Eimi Yamamitsu and Makiko Inoue from Chiba, Japan; Hisako Ueno from Okayama, Japan; and Alan Yuhas from New York.