Japan braces as powerful Typhoon Ampil strengthens near Tokyo

CNN
—
Hundreds of thousands of people are being advised to evacuate in parts of Japan, with some homes losing power on Friday, as Typhoon Ampil approaches the east coast near the capital.

The storm, located 121 nautical miles southeast of Yokosuka, Greater Tokyo, has intensified to the equivalent strength of a Category 4 hurricane, bringing winds of up to 212 kilometers per hour (131 mph) as it moves north at 18 kph (11 mph), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

Ampil has rapidly intensified over the past two days, partly because it moved over very warm water – meaning more moisture in the air to fuel the typhoon. It could strengthen further in the next 12 hours, with the storm reaching peak intensity as it passes by Japan.

More than 178,000 households – nearly 404,000 people in total – were issued evacuation advisories in the cities of Mobara and Asahi near Tokyo and Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, which are near the east coast expected to feel the brunt of the storm by late Friday. Local authorities called on the elderly, those with disabilities and anyone living in high-risk areas to evacuate.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/15/asia/japan-typhoon-ampil-flights-intl-hnk/index.html