Powerful typhoon pounds southern Japan, thousands evacuated

A almighty typhoon slammed ashore successful confederate Japan connected Sunday arsenic it pounded the portion with beardown winds and dense rain, causing blackouts, paralyzing crushed and aerial proscription and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said Typhoon Nanmadol was heading northbound aft making landfall successful Kagoshima metropolis connected Japan's confederate main land of Kyushu. It was packing maximum winds of 162 kilometers (101 miles) per hr and is forecast to scope Tokyo connected Tuesday.

The upwind bureau predicted arsenic overmuch arsenic 50 centimeters (20 inches) of rainfall by Monday evening and warned of flooding and landslides. It besides alerted residents successful the affected areas of "unprecedented" levels of almighty winds and waves, urging them to evacuate early.

Storm and precocious question warnings were successful effect successful Kagoshima, wherever residents were told to enactment wrong unchangeable buildings connected the 2nd level oregon higher, if it was deemed a safer enactment than going to evacuation centers.

More than 12,000 radical took structure astatine evacuation centers. In neighboring Miyazaki prefecture, astir 8,000 radical near their homes.

Local officials said respective radical had been injured. In Kushima metropolis successful Miyazaki, a pistillate was somewhat wounded by shards of solid erstwhile winds broke windows astatine a gymnasium. NHK nationalist tv said 15 radical had been injured, citing its ain tally.

Power outages were expanded crossed the Kyushu portion arsenic the typhoon damaged much powerfulness lines and facilities portion moving north. By Sunday night, 216,450 homes were without electricity, according to Kyushu Electric Power Co.

Footage connected NHK tv showed a pachinko pinball parlor with portion of its solid partition shattered by the gust successful Kanoya metropolis successful Kagoshima. Elsewhere successful the prefecture, an aged pistillate successful suffered a insignificant wounded aft falling, NHK said.

Hundreds of home flights person been canceled and much are planned to beryllium grounded successful occidental Japan done Tuesday arsenic the typhoon headed northeast, according to Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.

Public proscription including trains and buses successful galore areas connected the Kyushu land was suspended passim Sunday. Railway operators said slug trains connected Kyushu land besides person been suspended, and much stoppages are expected successful greater areas successful the southwest Monday.