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Thousands urged to evacuate their homes as Typhoon hits Japan

Friday, 17 July 2015 1:45 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 17 July 2015 1:54 AM ]

The coastline near the city of Kochi, Japan, was hit hard on July 16, 2015, by Typhoon Nangka. ©Kyodo

Authorities in Japan have urged more than 360,000 residents to evacuate their homes as Typhoon Nangka is barreling towards the country’s main island.

Local authorities urged at least 367,800 people in the storm's path to evacuate, the Kyodo News agency reported.

At least two people were killed after the storm hit the island of Shikoku on Thursday, authorities announced on Friday.

The news agency cited police as saying that the two victims were a 71-year-old who was trying to reinforce a window glass, and an 85-year-old who had apparently gone out to check on farmland. Both men died in the Hyogo prefecture.

Earlier reports had said at least 17 people were injured in the storm.

Typhoon Nangka is described as a kind of slow-moving storm that can cause most damage, according to meteorologists.

Nangka was packing gusts up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour. It made landfall near Cape Muroto on Shikoku, one of the country's main islands, around Thursday night local time, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

By the morning hours of Friday, the storm was moving north-northwest at 20 kilometers (12 miles) an hour.

It is set to lash the main island of Honshu in the coming hours, the country’s weather agency said.

The weather agency has issued warnings for flooding, gale-force winds, landslides and high waves for southern Japan.

The storm has forced the Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways to cancel more than 177 domestic flights.

The region's train operators and ferry services also cancelled routes ahead of the typhoon as parts of the roads were closed due to high tides and heavy rain.

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