Updated September 16th, 2019 at 15:29 IST

Japan: Almost 80,000 homes still without power a week after typhoon

Around 80,000 homes in eastern Japan are still facing power blackout after a powerful typhoon Faxai wreaked havoc, said the authorities on September 16.

Reported by: Sounak Mitra
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Around 80,000 homes in eastern Japan are still facing power blackout after a powerful typhoon Faxai wreaked havoc, said the authorities on September 16. The evacuation and recovery operations were hampered due to sustained heavy rainfall and wind speeds. Typhoon Faxai hit the Tokyo region in the early hours of last Monday, resulted in heavy winds that erupted the electricity poles, disrupted Rugby World Cup preparations and forced the government to order thousands of people to leave their homes. With sustaining winds of up to 210km/h (130mph), Faxai is one of the strongest typhoons to hit the Japanese capital in a decade. Around 130 flights were canceled and train lines closed for hours, disrupting the morning commute.

READ: Japan: Typhoon Faxai Kills 1, Leaves Over 40 Injured In Tokyo Region

Complete recovery still in the process

The deadly storm took lives of two people with at least three elderly later confirmed dead due to heatstroke as temperatures rose up to more than 35-degree Celcius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and the most affected areas of the storm still facing complete power breakdown. Spokesperson Naoya Kondo said some 78,700 households were still without power in Chiba, southeast of the capital, Tokyo Electric Co. (TEPCO). He said a complete recovery is still in the process as the authorities face difficulties in the mountainous regions. A local official added that around 16700 households were still staying without water as most of the water treatment plants had no electricity. Some of the officials were dispatching water tanker trucks to the affected areas with the help of the military.

READ: Tokyo Hit By Typhoon Faxai, More Than 5000 Made To Evacuate In Chiba

National weather agency of Japan forecasts heavy rainfall

The national weather agency of Japan forecasted torrential rainfall on Monday in Chiba and issued new warnings while the local authorities issued non-compulsory evacuation orders to 46,300 people due to the risk of landslides. A disaster management official in Futtsu in Chiba, Kenta Hirano,  said a delay in the recovery operations is expected due to heavy rains. More than 1000 houses were damaged by a typhoon in the area, he said. Some local media showed the residents in Chiba covering their damaged roofs hurriedly with blue tarps.

READ: Typhoon Trami Injures 45, Direct Hit On Japan Mainland Expected

READ: Japan Introduces Water Treatment Measures In Tokyo Ahead Of Olympics

(With PTI inputs)

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Published September 16th, 2019 at 13:19 IST