TOKYO, August 10 (RIA Novosti) – Typhoon Halong that has been raging over southern Japan for the past days was downgraded to a tropical storm and now heads toward the Sea of Japan, the country’s Meteorological Agency reported.
Haloong is currently passing over the Honshu Island with the central pressure of 950 millibars and the speed of 67 miles per hour (30 meters per second), while the gusts of wind reach up to 100 miles per hour (45 meters per second). The storm is approaching the northeastern regions of Japan with the speed of 21 miles per hour (35 kilometers per hour).
Earlier on Friday, NHK channel reported that a special warning calling for evacuation due to the heavy rain and squally wind was issued for 1.61 million residents. Halong has already claimed lives of at least four people and left another 30 injured, according to the Kyodo news agency.
Japan’s leading airlines on Sunday announced cancellation of 309 flights due to the approaching cyclone. Nearly 500 flights have also been cancelled on Saturday.
Japan Meteorological Agency on Saturday has issued a special warning for Kii Peninsula’s southern Mie Prefecture on the Honshu Island. Such warning implies that the natural disaster, which occurs once in dozens of years, is likely to cause heavy damage and casualties. The storm alert has also been issued for the Shikoku Island, as well as for the regions of Kyushu, Tokai, Kanto, Hokuriku and the western part of Japan’s main island Honshu.
