Typhoon brings rain, wind to Pacific coast areas, nearing Tokyo area

TOKYO, Sept. 19 Kyodo - Typhoon Sinlaku brought heavy rain and strong wind to Japan's Pacific coastal areas Friday as it was in the south of the Japanese archipelago and approaching the Tokyo area, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The typhoon was whipping up winds of more than 90 kilometers per hour in some
parts of the Kii Peninsula, dumping more than 120 millimeters per hour of rain
near Owase, Mie Prefecture, the agency said, citing radar data.
The area's rainfall in the past 24 hours topped 750 mm, exceeding the monthly
average rainfall for September. The Owase municipal government advised around
7,900 households to evacuate following torrential rain that hit the region from
Thursday.
About 50 residents evacuated to nearby public halls and other facilities. A
total of 12 homes were flooded, the city said.
In the prefecture, 17 public schools were closed due to the typhoon on Friday.
The instantaneous maximum wind velocity of 113.4 kph was logged at Cape
Shionomisaki, Wakayama Prefecture.
Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) said it was suspending eight express train
services because of the typhoon.
As of 8 p.m., Sinlaku was located around 110 km south-southwest of Cape
Omaezaki in Shizuoka Prefecture, packing winds of up to 144 kph, moving 35 kph
east-northeast. It was generating winds of up to 90 kph in areas 50 km from the
center, according to the agency.
==Kyodo
2008-09-19 23:07:39