Typhoon Shanshan is expected to approach Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday or Wednesday, with railway operators warning of service disruptions and an airline canceling flights.
The storm is packing maximum sustained winds near its center of 65 knots (120 kilometers) an hour, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Shanshan is located south of the nation’s main islands and headed west-northwest at 20 kilometers hour, the weather bureau said.
Kyushu Railway Co. said that train services could be suspended from Tuesday, depending on the course of the typhoon and its strength. Central Japan Railway Co. added that the Tokaido bullet train, which connects Tokyo to western parts of the country, may also be disrupted.
Japan Airlines Co. has canceled a total of 122 flights — mostly domestic — for Tuesday and Wednesday due to the typhoon. At a press conference on Monday, the transport ministry and weather bureau warned people in affected areas to prepare for power and water outages, and check transport schedules.
Shanshan could cost Japanese insurers more than ¥100 billion ($695 million) if the typhoon directly strikes the island of Shikoku and the city of Hiroshima, according to a note from Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Steven Lam. Enki Research said damages could total $6 billion to $10 billion.
Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Japan
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