11 Injured as Typhoon Crosses Japan
11 Injured as Typhoon Crosses Japan
TOKYO (AP) -- A powerful typhoon lashed southwestern Japan Thursday with massive rain and strong winds, injuring at least 11 people and paralyzing traffic during Japan's Buddhist holiday week.
Typhoon Krosa landed near Kure in western Hiroshima on Thursday afternoon while traveling north and packing winds up to 144 kilometers (89 miles) per hour, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
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Six people were injured overnight in Hiroshima and four other prefectures, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. It said that a total of 11 injuries have been reported since the slow-moving typhoon last week reached the region, part of which is still recovering from last year's deadly flooding.
A group of 18 people, including children, who had been stranded while camping on the bank of a swollen river in Oita, were all safely rescued Thursday, the disaster management agency said.
More than 7,000 people have moved to shelters in 21 prefectures in the western half of the Japanese archipelago. Bullet trains connecting Osaka and Kokura were suspended Thursday, and hundreds of domestic flights grounded, holding up holidaymakers.
The agency predicts a total accumulated rainfall of up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) across Japan. Warnings for mudslides were issued in some areas including Nara and Wakayama.
(KR)