TOKYO: Air travel and public services across Japan were severely disrupted on Friday after airlines cancelled more than 120 flights as two tropical storms moved dangerously close to the archipelago, triggering evacuation advisories and fears of flooding and landslides.
Severe tropical storm Mekkhala, which had earlier been classified as a typhoon, weakened but continued to generate powerful winds of up to 144 km/h (89 mph). Forecasters said heavy rainfall had already begun affecting parts of southern and western regions of the country.
Meteorologists warned that the system could pass near the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku over the weekend, where it may interact with another system, tropical storm Higos, further out over the Pacific Ocean.
Experts cautioned that such an interaction could trigger the Fujiwhara effect, a rare meteorological phenomenon in which two nearby cyclones orbit each other, potentially altering their paths and intensifying forecasting uncertainty.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways confirmed the cancellation of services to and from southern hubs including Okinawa and Kagoshima, affecting both domestic and regional connectivity.
Local authorities in Kyoto ordered evacuations for several thousand residents as river levels rose and landslide risks increased. Television footage broadcast by NHK showed fast-moving, debris-filled floodwaters surging through affected areas. Officials in both Kyoto and Osaka issued further flood warnings, urging residents to remain alert amid continuing heavy rainfall.
Industrial activity was also impacted, with Toyota suspending operations at a Kyushu plant due to blocked roads, while Nissan halted selected production lines, according to Kyodo News. Japan’s military postponed the planned maiden flight of a V-22 Osprey aircraft to Miyako Island during joint exercises with the United States.
Meanwhile, in Taiwan, authorities evacuated more than 1,600 people as Mekkhala unleashed torrential rain, flooding and landslides across multiple regions.
The island’s weather agency reported rainfall reaching up to 88 cm in parts of the east and south, including Hualien County, Kaohsiung and Pingtung. While no casualties have been reported, officials warned of possible debris flows in mountainous areas and continued transport disruptions, including suspended train services.
