Travelers to, from and in Japan are again facing airline delays and cancelations as a super typhoon approaches the country with violent winds and heavy rains.
Typhoon Hagibis has prompted emergency warnings and advisories along the south coast of Japan amid fears it could be one of the most damaging storms to have hit the Asian nation.
The Japan Meteorological Agency expects the super typhoon, which is equivalent to a Category 4 Hurricane or higher, to make landfall Saturday and has warned houses could collapse in winds as strong as 216kmh.
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It comes just a month after Typhoon Faxai left 930,000 households without power.
CNN reported almost 1200 flights have been canceled by Japan’s two biggest carriers on October 12, affecting about 190,00 passengers.
It said All Nippon Airways had canceled 490 domestic and 112 international flights while Japan Airlines canceled 513 domestic and 72 international.
Airports in the firing line include Haneda and Narita in Tokyo as well as Nagoya Chubu and Osaka Kansai.
Airlines are waiving change and cancellation fees for weather-affected flights.
The typhoon has affected the Rugby World Cup with games between England and France and Italy and New Zealand canceled.
“Based on the latest detailed information from the tournament’s independent weather experts, Hagibis is predicted to be the biggest typhoon of the 2019 season and is highly likely to cause considerable disruption in the Tokyo, Yokohama and City of Toyota areas throughout Saturday, including likely public transport shutdown or disruption,” the World Rugby and the Japan Rugby 2019 Organising Committee said.
