Powerful Cat-3 Typhoon Lan Brings Heavy Rain, Winds to Japan, 2 Dead
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Typhoon Lan, now downgraded from a super-typhoon but remaining a very dangerous Category 3 storm, continues its flight north, currently estimated to strike Tokyo and the surrounding metropolitan area early Monday morning local time.
At least two people have been confirmed dead according to the Japan Meteorological Agency as the fast-paced storm, speeding along at close to 30 mph, heads north, cited by the Japan Times.
Most flights out of Narita and other airports in the metropolitan area have been cancelled, while schools are shuttered and emergency services have been put on high alert in anticipation of Lan's landfall, bringing with it damaging winds, heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge, Sputnik reported.
Inland areas are said to be at high risk of landslides and flooding, as the fast-moving typhoon, the 21st named storm of the current season, slams into the island archipelago, packing winds of up to 120 mph and dropping a whopping 28 inches of rain on some locations within a 48-hour period.
The country's famous Shinkansen ‘bullet' train services have been disrupted as well, with many express trains cancelled.
As the typhoon approaches, many employers, including large Toyota automobile manufacturing facilities, have suspended operations beginning Monday morning according to company officials, cited by Japan Times.
Local governments close to the coast have issued evacuations for some and several elections have been postponed as well.
