Torrential rain and tornado-like winds are lashing large parts of Japan, as the country endures what could be its worst storm for 60 years. The eye of Typhoon Hagibis made landfall shortly before 19:00 local time in Izu Peninsula, southwest of Tokyo. One man was killed in Chiba, east of Tokyo, when high winds flipped his car. More than seven million people have been urged to leave their homes amid severe flood and landslide warnings.
Train services have been halted, and more than a thousand flights grounded. Two Rugby World Cup games scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled. Formula 1 has also cancelled Saturday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency has warned half a metre of rain could fall on the Tokyo area between midday on Saturday and Sunday. It could be the strongest storm the country has faced since Kanogawa Typhoon in 1958, which left more than 1,200 people dead or missing.
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