THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
August 9, 2023 at 13:47 JST
The approach of Typhoon No. 6 causes miserable walking conditions in front of Kagoshima Chuo Station on the morning of Aug. 9. (Kazuhiro Nagashima)
Heavy rain warnings were issued for Kyushu on Aug. 9 as Typhoon No. 6 lashed Japan’s main southwestern island and further disrupted transportation services.
A linear rainband, which causes prolonged downpours, formed over Tanegashima and Yakushima islands in Kagoshima Prefecture in the morning.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said rainbands could emerge in other parts of Kyushu on Aug. 9 and 10.
The agency is calling on residents to be vigilant against landslides and flooding in low-lying areas.
Heavy rain is also likely to fall on the Pacific side of western to eastern Japan as moist air flows in.
Typhoon No. 6 was moving at about 10 kph north-northwest over waters west-southwest of Makurazaki in Kagoshima Prefecture as of 9 a.m. on Aug. 9, according to the JMA.
The typhoon has a central barometric pressure of 975 hectopascals, maximum sustained winds of 108 kph near the center, and maximum instantaneous gusts of 144 kph.
It is expected to move northward over waters west of Kyushu.
Up to 300 millimeters of rain is forecast to fall in Kyushu and the main island of Shikoku in the 24 hours through 6 a.m. on Aug. 10, the agency said.
Over the same period, 250 mm is expected in the Tokai region, 200 mm in the Amami area, 180 mm in the Kinki region, and 120 mm in the Chugoku region.
Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) suspended its Shinkansen service between Kumamoto Station and Kagoshima Chuo Station for the entire day on Aug. 9.
But bullet train operations between Hakata Station and Kumamoto Station will continue as usual.
West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) said it will carry out planned cancellations of some Sanyo Shinkansen services between Hiroshima Station and Hakata Station from the night of Aug. 9 to the following morning.
Japan Airlines Co. and All Nippon Airways Co. canceled 252 and 96 flights, respectively, on Aug. 9.
Both airlines also said some flights scheduled for the morning of Aug. 10 will be grounded.
(This article was written by Tsuin Cho and Hiromichi Fujita.)
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