Typhoon Ampil was slamming eastern Japan as a “very strong” storm, equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane, threatening to bring devastating winds and copious rain over a large area. A Level 4 evacuation order was issued for Mobara, Chiba Prefecture, and Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture. Level 3 recommendations urging the elderly and disabled to leave were issued in several cities across Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Ibaraki, and Fukushima prefectures.

The Meteorological Agency warned on Friday that winds on the Izu Islands could be sufficiently robust to damage some homes and cause them to collapse, while winds in parts of Kanto could cause injuries from flying debris or trucks to topple. The agency advised people in affected areas to avoid going out for non-essential reasons.

The storm, dubbed Typhoon No. 7 by the weather bureau, is also expected to affect transport networks during a busy holiday travel season. Several railway systems, notably the bullet train line connecting Tokyo and Nagoya, have decided ahead of time to suspend or reduce services. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled, and some motorways may close.

While the storm is not expected to make landfall, it will have its greatest impact on the Izu Islands, Kanto-Koshin, Tohoku, and Tokai areas. The weather agency is warning of powerful gusts, high waves, landslides, and flooding.

According to the weather agency, the Izu Islands and sections of the Kanto region might experience maximum continuous winds of 144 kph and gusts of up to 216 kph, while the Tohoku region could witness maximum sustained winds of 108 kph and gusts of up to 216 kph. Parts of the Tokai region may also experience high winds.

Many places are also forecast to receive severe rain through Saturday, with Kanto-Koshin expecting up to 300 millimetres and Tohoku expecting 200 millimetres. Heavy rain may persist till Saturday in Tohoku.

Its central air pressure was 950 hectopascals, with highest sustained winds of 162 kph and gusts as high as 216 kph. The storm is expected to develop more on Friday as it gets closer to the shore of Chiba Prefecture.

The storm is expected to grow more as it travels north-northeast off the coast of Chiba overnight before heading out to sea later on Saturday at 3 a.m. On Saturday, the storm’s central pressure is expected to fall to 940 hectopascals, with maximum sustained winds at the centre maintaining 162 kph but maximum gusts climbing to 234 kph. The storm will progressively diminish throughout Saturday, but Typhoon Ampil power is expected to hold through Sunday as it moves away from Honshu.

As Japan’s Bon summer holiday ends, Typhoon Ampil is wreaking havoc on transportation networks, stranding returning travellers. NHK says more than 900 flights have been cancelled to and from Narita and Haneda airports. The Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Nagoya has been suspended for the whole day. At the same time, services on the Tohoku, Yamagata, and Joetsu shinkansen lines have been reduced.

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