Rail, air traffic disrupted, power cut as storm Jangmi hit Japan

TOKYO, Japan: Severe tropical storm Jangmi hit Japan on June 3, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that disrupted transport and businesses and cut power to tens of thousands of homes.

Early that day, the center of the storm was about 150 km south of Tokyo and was moving northeast, with winds reaching up to 25 meters per second, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency. The agency warned that the storm would pass very close to eastern Japan along the Pacific coast and urged people to stay alert.

Authorities said at least 15 people were slightly injured.

The storm, with a pressure of 985 hPa, has already caused power cuts to nearly 60,000 homes. Officials also reported flooding, fallen trees, debris, and landslides in many areas. Government spokesperson Minoru Kihara advised people to act quickly if they feel in danger.

Evacuation warnings were issued to hundreds of thousands of residents across eight prefectures in southwestern, central, and eastern Japan. Posts on social media showed flooded roads and subway stations, with terms like "evacuation order" and "soaked wet" trending online.

Airlines such as Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled nearly 900 domestic and international flights, affecting around 90,000 passengers.

Some bullet train services in Kyushu and western Japan were delayed. East Japan Railway also suspended some train services in the Tokyo area and said more disruptions could happen during the day.

Toyota Motor temporarily stopped operations at 13 plants in Japan in the morning but restarted production in the evening. Suzuki Motor also halted work at all five of its plants in Shizuoka Prefecture in the morning, and resumed operations later in the day.

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