05 Sep 2018 | 04:24 PM UTC
Japan: Kansai Airport (Osaka) closed due to storm damage
Osaka’s Kansai International Airport to remain closed through at least September 6 due to storm damage; reconfirm travel arrangements
Event
Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka will remain closed through at least Thursday, September 6, after severe storms from Typhoon Jebi flooded both runways and caused major infrastructural damage on Tuesday, September 4. Airport officials have not disclosed when KIX will reopen as of Wednesday, September 5, but stated that the airport could remain closed for up to one week. All roads for vehicle and railway traffic are closed and power outages have occurred in parts of the airport as of Wednesday evening (local time). Residual flight delays and cancelations are expected in the coming days and weeks.
Context
Typhoon Jebi made landfall east of Kobe in Hyogo prefecture on Tuesday, September 4, resulting in the deaths of at least ten people and injuring more than 300 others. The typhoon was reportedly the strongest since 1993 and brought sustained winds of 160 km/h (100 mph) to the island, causing widespread damage, flooding, and power outages to around 1.5 million people.
Osaka's Kansai International Airport (KIX), which provides service to Kyoto and Kobe, suspended operations on September 4 after severe storms flooded runways, destroyed the bridge connecting the airport to the mainland, and stranded 3000 passengers at the airport for 18 hours.
Advice
Individuals traveling via KIX in the near-term are advised to monitor developments to the situation and verify the status of their flights prior to departure to the airport. Individuals in Osaka are advised to monitor local weather reports, anticipate transportation and power disruptions, obey instructions issued by the local authorities, and avoid flood-prone areas until the situation stabilizes. Remember that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult - and that floodwater may contain wastewater or chemical products; all items having come into contact with the water should be disinfected and all foodstuffs discarded.
