As Typhoon Jebi swept through western Japan on Tuesday 4 September, it has paralysed the country’s second-largest population centre around Osaka with widespread power outages and flooding to the region’s main airport.
Several reports have suggested the typhoon is carrying strong winds of up to 135mph, making it the country’s strongest storm in 25 years and grounding flights. Although the storm is expected to have weakened by Wednesday morning, Japan’s meteorological agency has warned it could trigger landslides and further flooding.
Built on an artificial island, Kansai International Airport was almost directly in the storm’s path and remains partially submerged as it suffered flooding to its runway and terminal building. The airport was forced to close entirely when a tanker collided with the bridge linking the airport to the mainland. A spokeswoman for the airport reported that it doesn’t know when the airport can resume operations.
Authorities have issued evacuation advisories for more than one million people with hundreds of flights cancelled, as well as scores of ferries and train services halted by the devastating storm.
Nanki-Shirahama Airport on the south coast of Honshu has also experienced strong winds of 92mph.
Anticipating further disruption to airport operations, both domestic and international airlines have decided to cancel flights scheduled to depart and arrive in airports across western and central Japan with passengers advised to check with their carrier before heading off.
