Beijing, China/Tokyo, Japan
Reuters
There have been 33 deaths from heavy floods in China’s capital of Beijing as of 8th August, with 18 still missing, Beijing Daily reported on Wednesday.
The disaster has stricken nearly 1.29 million people, causing the collapse of 59,000 homes and seriously damaging 147,000 homes, the newspaper said.
Passersby walk in a heavy rain and wind caused by Typhoon Khanun in Kagoshima on Japan’s third-largest island Kyushu, on 8th August, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. PICTURE: Kyodo via Reuters
Meanwhile, heavy rain from Typhoon Khanun pounded southern Japan on Wednesday as another storm approached from the east to possibly threaten Tokyo just as thousands of people prepare to travel during the peak summer holiday season.
Khanun could make landfall on the south-western main island of Kyushu, some 858 kilometres from Tokyo, on Thursday, but areas of the region have already been inundated with a whole month’s worth on rainfall in the past week, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The storm is currently in the sea south of Kyushu after wreaking havoc in the south-western Okinawa region.
It is maintaining its strength and moving at an unusually slow 10 kph, meaning the wind and rain will linger for longer.
The JMA issued heavy rain and high wind warnings to many parts of southern and western Japan. Railway operator West Japan Railway Co has also suspended some of its Shinkansen bullet train service in Kyushu.
A second storm, Lan, had formed in the Pacific Ocean south of Japan and was predicted to strengthen as it heads north, possibly affecting Tokyo early next week, JMA said.
The two storms arrive at the start of Obon, the peak summer holiday season when many Japanese leave big cities for their ancestral hometowns.
– With MARIKO KATSUMURA and ELAINE LIES
