Tokyo, Aug 1 (EFE).- A strong thunderstorm left more than 10,000 homes in and around Tokyo without power and flight operations temporarily suspended at the Japanese capital’s Haneda airport on Tuesday.
A power lines near Green Power Ichihara biomass power station in Ichihara city, Chiba province, Japan 29 February 2008. EFE-EPA FILE/EVERETT KENNEDY BROWN
The storm caused heavy rainfall from 12 pm in several parts of Kanto in central Japan, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to declare an alert for floods and overflow of rivers in various areas of the capital and surrounding regions.
Tokyo’s northern and western districts have recorded more than 50 millimeters of rainfall in just one hour, and the Meguro River, which flows through the Japanese capital, has exceeded the flood danger level, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said.
Power company Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) reported a disruption in electricity supply to 1,200 homes in Tokyo and another 1,200 and 7,210 respectively in the neighboring Ibaraki, in the north, and Chiba, in the east.
Southwestern Japan is also under a weather alert due to the approaching powerful Typhoon Khanun, according to the JMA.
The Japanese authorities have begun issuing evacuation orders in some villages of the southern Okinawa archipelago due to the typhoon, which has also led to the suspension of domestic flights in the area. EFE
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