Typhoon Faxai hits east of Tokyo, killing three people
TOKYO: One of the strongest typhoons to hit the Japanese capital in recent years landed just east of Tokyo yesterday, killing three people, as record-breaking winds and stinging rain threatened to burst river banks.
More than 130 flights were cancelled or rescheduled, among them two Singapore Airlines (SIA) flights from Singapore to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, The Straits Times reported.
Other flights affected yesterday included SIA and All Nippon Airways arrivals into Singapore, which had to be retimed, according to the Changi Airport website.
Scores of train lines were also closed for hours, snarling the morning commute for millions in a greater Tokyo area.
Authorities warned it was dangerous to venture outside.
Typhoon Faxai, a Laotian woman's name, slammed ashore in the city of Chiba, just east of Tokyo, a little before dawn, bringing with it wind gusts of 207 kmh, the strongest ever recorded there.
A woman in her 50s was confirmed dead after she was found lying on a Tokyo street and taken to hospital. Footage from a nearby security camera showed that she had been smashed against a building by strong winds, NHK reported.
A man, 87, died after being hit by a tree that fell while he was clearing storm debris.
The third casualty, a 47-year-old worker, who was fixing a power generation unit, was found collapsed and later confirmed dead at a hospital. Police believe he was blown off balance by strong winds and may have fallen from a terrace on the second storey, reported The Japan Times.
Also, a woman in her 20s was rescued from her house after it was partly crushed when a metal pole from a golf driving range fell on it. She was seriously injured.
The storm had headed out to sea by mid-morning but authorities warned that heavy rains were likely to continue for some hours. - REUTERS
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
