Typhoon brings heavy rainfall to Japan's southwest as another nears

Typhoon Khanun moved past Japan on Thursday after bringing heavy rainfall to southwestern and western regions, as another typhoon approaching the country is set to hit eastern and western areas early next week, according to the weather agency.

With Typhoon Khanun moving so slowly, linear rain bands, which can bring torrential downpours, were formed overnight over Shikoku and Kyushu islands, where some areas have received nearly 1,000 millimeters of rain since the beginning of the month. Strong winds in Kyushu have left at least 14 people injured, including three seriously, according to local governments.

Typhoon Lan, the year's seventh, is expected to move through the Ogasawara Islands in the Pacific Ocean on Friday before continuing northwestward. The Japan Meteorological Agency, which upgraded the typhoon's intensity rating to "strong" at 3 p.m., is warning of stormy weather in eastern and western Japan from around Monday.

Central Japan Railway Co. and West Japan Railway Co. said Thursday some services on the Tokaido Shinkansen and Sanyo Shinkansen lines could be suspended or face sudden disruptions between Sunday and Wednesday -- possibly affecting travelers during the Bon holidays when many people return to their hometowns.

East Japan Railway Co. also said its shinkansen services could experience delays or suspensions.

There are also concerns the typhoon could affect large events scheduled in and around Tokyo this weekend, including Comic Market, Japan's largest self-published comic fair, and the Rock in Japan festival in Chiba.

The organizer of the annual music festival said Thursday that the event will be held for the three days through Sunday as planned, noting that the typhoon is moving slower than initially expected. But it said it will continue to watch the weather conditions.

Last year, the final day of the music festival was canceled due to a typhoon.

At 9 p.m., Typhoon Lan was traveling northwestward at a speed of 10 kilometers per hour around 170 km southeast of Chichijima Island of the Ogasawara Islands, with an atmospheric pressure of 960 hectopascals at its center and winds of up to 198 kph, according to the weather agency.

Meanwhile, Typhoon Khanun was moving northward across the Korean Peninsula at a speed of around 25 kph, with an atmospheric pressure of 990 hectopascals at its center and winds of up to 108 kph, the agency said.

Towns and cities have been hit by record rainfalls caused by the typhoon, including Ino in Kochi Prefecture, which saw 332.5 mm in a six-hour period through 9 a.m.

Two municipalities in Miyazaki issued the highest level of evacuation alert to residents, including the town of Hinokage, which saw a record 703 mm of rain over the 72 hours through 9 a.m.

© KYODO