TYPHOON Lan crossed the coast of the main island of Honshu shortly before 5am in Wakayama prefecture, some 600km west of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. 

The system was set to spend all of today sweeping over the region, which includes the commercial hubs of Osaka and Kobe before moving out to the Sea of Japan.

“Please exercise extreme caution against landslides, surging water in low-lying areas, swollen and flooded rivers and violent winds,” the agency said in a warning issued for numerous areas.

The system has prompted the cancellation of hundreds of flights and trains, including high-speed “Shinkansen” bullet train services that link the region with capital Tokyo. – AFP, August 15, 2023.