Japan: Six dead following Typhoon Jebi, Osaka airport closed until September 5 /update 5

Event

Typhoon Jebi made landfall east of Kobe in Hyogo prefecture on Tuesday, September 4, resulting in the deaths of at least six 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 Tuesday and will remain closed until at least the evening (local time) of Wednesday, September 5. One of its two main runways was flooded, along with the basement of Terminal 1 and several other cargo and service facilities. The bridge that connects the airport to the mainland was also damaged by a 2591-ton tanker that broke free of its anchor, stranding 3000 passengers at the airport. Train services along the bridge were suspended, though vehicular bridge traffic resumed on lanes not damaged by the ship. Residual flight delays and cancelations are likely in the coming days.

Nagoya's Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) has resumed services, though it is experiencing some delays as of September 5. Bullet train services from Tokyo to Hiroshima resumed on Tuesday evening.

As of 00:00 on Wednesday, Typhoon Jebi is located in the Sea of Japan, approximately 163 km (100 mi) northwest of Niigata. It is expected to move north-northeastward along the northwest coast of Honshu and affect the western coast of Hokkaido. Localized flooding and wind damage is possible.

Context

This is the 21st typhoon of the year and the fourth storm to affect Japan since mid-August. Tropical cyclones and typhoons are common in the west Pacific from June through November.

Advice

Individuals present in the abovementioned regions 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.