The Typhoon Ampil brushed past Japan on August 16, 2024, bringing with it fierce winds, high waves, and the risk of landslides, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue warnings. Located off the Pacific coast, the storm caused the evacuation of over 340,000 people and severe disruptions in transportation and energy supply.
In particular, in cities in Chiba Prefecture such as Mobara and Asahi, and in the city of Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture, level 4 evacuation orders were issued. Other cities in the prefectures of Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Ibaraki, and Fukushima received level 3 advisories, suggesting evacuation for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Typhoon Ampil, classified as very strong, hit Japan in the midst of the high summer season, with sustained winds for 10 minutes at 162 km/h and maximum gusts of 215 km/h.
The center of the typhoon was located about 120 km northeast of Hachijojima, moving north at 15 km/h with an atmospheric pressure of 950 hPa.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Ampil reached maximum sustained winds for one minute of 205 km/h and gusts up to 250 km/h at 06:00 UTC on August 16.
Southeast Japan was relatively fortunate, as the cyclone passed just offshore, avoiding potential devastating impacts that would have occurred if its trajectory had been 150 km further west, as noted by James Reynolds of EarthUncut TV.
The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of fierce winds, high waves, landslides, and flooding, with particular concern for the regions of Kanto-Koshin, Tohoku, and Tokai.
The Kanto region, including Tokyo, could experience winds strong enough to cause injuries from flying debris or even overturn moving trucks.
The Izu Islands could face winds intense enough to cause some homes to collapse.
Several regions implemented evacuation orders and advisories.
The city of Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture ordered the evacuation of about 323,000 residents, while the city of Mobara in Chiba Prefecture issued a level 4 evacuation order for about 18,500 people.
Numerous other cities opened evacuation centers, advising voluntary evacuations.
The typhoon caused extensive power outages, leaving over 2,400 homes without power in the prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa.
Additionally, all high-speed Shinkansen bullet train services between Tokyo and Nagoya were suspended, while local rail lines in the Kanto region faced severe disruptions, with some lines completely halted.
ANA Holdings announced the cancellation of 281 domestic and 54 international flights, affecting nearly 70,000 passengers. Japan Airlines also canceled 281 domestic and 38 international flights, impacting about 50,000 travelers. The airline anticipates further cancellations for August 17, with 32 domestic flights to and from Haneda Airport in Tokyo, affecting another 2,300 passengers.
Due to the storm, Tokyo Disneyland and numerous restaurants, department stores, and amusement parks reduced their opening hours or temporarily closed.
The Sogo and Ito-Yokado department stores in Chiba Prefecture announced temporary closures.
Despite the storm’s path avoiding a worst-case scenario, the situation remains critical.
Even a small deviation westward could expose additional areas to damaging winds. Typhoon Ampil will continue to affect eastern Japan until Saturday, with forecasts of heavy rain in the Kanto-Koshin and Tohoku regions.
The Japan Meteorological Agency predicts up to 300 mm of rain in Kanto-Koshin and up to 200 mm in Tohoku over the next 24 hours.
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