Flights and trains were cancelled in Tokyo on Friday and people were warned of strong winds, heavy rain, possible flooding and landslides as the typhoon Ampil veered off course near Japan, heading further north in the Pacific Ocean.
Typhoon Ampil was forecast to reach waters near Tokyo in the evening and then continue northwards, bringing stormy conditions to the northern regions of Kanto and Tohoku early Saturday morning. It maintained wind speeds of 162 km/h with stronger gusts on Friday morning and was moving north at 15 km/h, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Ampil is not expected to make landfall and is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by Sunday.
Tokyo Disneyland, normally opens until 9 p.m., closed earlier, at 3pm, because of the typhoon. Yamato Transport, which delivers Amazon and other goods in Japan, said there would be no deliveries to Tokyo and nearby affected areas on Friday and Saturday.
Shinkansen high-speed trains running between Tokyo and Nagoya were halted for the day, Japan Central Railway said, a normal response to typhoons. High-speed trains serving northeast Japan and some local Tokyo trains were temporarily suspended or switched to slower schedules.
Dozens of departing and arriving flights were cancelled at Tokyo’s two airports, Haneda and Narita, as well as Kansai, Osaka and Chubu airports. About 90,000 people will be affected by the flight cancellations, according to Japanese media reports. Several motorways may also be partially closed to traffic.
Airports and railway stations were crowded on Thursday with people rearranging their plans to avoid disruptions due to the typhoon. It was drizzly and windy in Tokyo on Friday, although the intensity varied. Traffic and crowds on the streets were sparse, mainly because of the summer Bon holiday period, not just the weather. Shops remained open.
Officials warned people to stay away from rivers and beaches, and to be wary of strong winds that could scatter objects.
