Tag Archives: landslides

2 dead, 9 mn people to evacuate after super typhoon hits Japan; Typhoon expected to travel across Honshu

Posted on by
Reply

Sep 19 (IANS) At least two people were killed in Japan and some nine million others asked to evacuate from their homes after super typhoon Nanmadol, deemed to be one of the worst, made landfall in the region of Kyushu, bringing heavy rain and gales, local media reported on Monday.

In Fukuoka prefecture, a man who was believed to be on his way to find shelter from the typhoon was found collapsed and later confirmed dead, reports Xinhua news agency.

Another man was declared dead after being pulled out of a car submerged in a flooded farmland in Miyazaki prefecture, according to local authorities.

According to a Miyazaki prefectural official, a man in his 40s was reported missing after his cabin was destroyed by a landslide.

typhoon

Typhoon/Ians

The 14th typhoon of the year was moving near Hagi, Yamaguchi prefecture on Monday afternoon, at a speed of some 20 km per hour.

It had an atmospheric pressure of 975 hectopascals at its centre, packing winds up to 108 kph with maximum gusts of 162 kph.

More than 70 people were injured amid the extreme weather, with bullet trains suspended in Kyushu on Monday and around 600 flights cancelled by the country’s two main airlines ANA and Japan Airlines, the local media reports said.

The typhoon is expected to travel across Japan’s largest island, Honshu through Tuesday, with the Japan Meteorological Agency continuing to issue warnings for strong winds, high tides and mudslides.

Typhoon

Typhoon/Ians

Tens of thousands of people spent Sunday night in emergency shelters, and almost 350,000 homes are without power.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has delayed a visit to New York, where he is due to give speech at the UN General Assembly, until Tuesday, to monitor the impact of the storm.

Massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea, 4 dead, several others seriously injured

Posted on by
Reply
Port Moresby, Sep 12 (IANS) At least four people killed and several others seriously injured after a massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Papua New Guinea (PNG), authorities said on Monday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ regional branch in the Asia-Pacific said that among the fatalities were one in the Rai Coast district of the Madang province, and three in the town of Wau of the Morobe province, reports Xinhua news agency.

All were buried in landslides.

Some other people in Morobe were injured due to falling structures or debris, and there was damage reported to health centres, homes, rural roads and highways, according to the provincial disaster management agency.

The regional power grid, Internet cables, and the regional highway were damaged, but regional commercial airports have remained in operation, said the report.

Parts of the Highlands Highway, which connects the second largest city of Lae to the Highlands provinces, were damaged.

Areas along Markham and Ramu in Eastern Highlands were espeinjuredcially affected.

Local newspaper Post-Courier reported on Monday that many shops in Lae remained closed due to their stock being damaged.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape said that national and provincial disaster agencies had begun to assess the damage done to buildings and infrastructure such as roads and power supplies.

Marape said the estimated cost of the damage would not be known until at least Tuesday but assured the public that no expense would be spared to “restore our services and our people’s livelihoods”.

PNG is one of the world’s most geologically and seismically active areas and is usually hit with more than 100 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater each year.