Extremely Strong Typhoon No. 15 paying a visit to the Kanto area

[railsquid]

Blue border time on NHK again - unusually this one is heading right over Tokyo. Weather boffins say it's of the same class as 2018's Typhoon 21, which knocked out Kansai Airport.

 

NHK live news here: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/live/

 

Many train lines are suspending early Monday morning operations for damage assessment; JR lines won't be running until 8am.

Edited September 8, 2019 by railsquid
fix typo

[gmat]

Woke up at about 3:45 and peeked outside to see the wind and rain. Snapped a few blurry pictures. This is the strongest that I can remember. Mostly I've slept thru most of the others. Hope everyone is safe.  Grant

[railsquid]

The strongest winds I've experienced were last year, when a typhoon (might have been 21 which hit Osaka) passed by somewhere to the west of Tokyo, but even some way off the wind was strong enough to actually shake the house, move the amido etc., which didn't happen last night, though it was noisy enough to wake us up several times.

 

Seems the path went straight up Tokyo Bay and over the low-lying Chiba/Tokyo area. Lots of reports of fallen trees, scaffolding etc. and localised flooding, but nothing dramatic. 900,000 households without electricity. Lots of train lines still not running.

Edited September 8, 2019 by railsquid

[gmat]

While I was taking those pictures, the amido did fall off and one plastic planter rolled around and broke its rim off. My wife said that Yokohama seaside suffered some damage. Just lots of fallen leaves here in Setagaya. 

 

Grant

[gmat]

Some news articles about the crowded aftermath.

Typhoon Faxai causes commuter chaos during peak hour in Japan【Pics & Video】

https://soranews24.com/2019/09/09/typhoon-faxai-causes-commuter-chaos-during-peak-hour-in-japan【pics-video】/

 

More about the effects of the typhoon. The readers comments may provide some interest or chuckles.

Typhoon pummels Kanto region; one reported dead, 40 injured

https://japantoday.com/category/national/Typhoon-pummels-Kanto-region-one-reported-dead-40-injured

 

Powerful Typhoon Faxai leaves 3 dead, disrupts Tokyo train services

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190909/p2g/00m/0na/026000c

 

In Photos: Typhoon Faxai causes chaos in Tokyo

https://mainichi.jp/english/graphs/20190909/hpe/00m/0na/001000g/1

 

Typhoon No. 15 hammers Tokyo area; 1 dead, at least 30 injured

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201909090018.html

 

Powerful Typhoon Faxai kills three, injures 40 and wreaks havoc on Tokyo transport system

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/09/09/national/typhoon-faxai/#.XXZ2LZMzbIE

 

Grant

[katoftw]

I am amazed at how many people attempted to go to work on Monday morning and then complained about the public transport system.  The comments section in a few facebook media stories have read have been good for a few laughs.  What is going on is well documented at even an aussie 10,000km away knew not to attempt to go to work first thing Monday morning.

Edited September 9, 2019 by katoftw

[Welshbloke]

I did laugh at the even split between "ZOMG TYPHOON" and "meh, I've seen worse".

 

Reminded me of a video I once saw taken during a winter storm in Aberystwyth. With strong winds and rain hammering the plaza outside the university library, someone filmed through the window as a large shelter thing blew over the edge and disappeared down a stairwell leading to the rest of the campus. Shortly afterwards a couple of students strolled past as if this was completely normal (which it is for Aber!)

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

Some great shots showing the extent of the typhoon damage in Tokyo.

The containers piled up like child's blocks, the cars all pushed together (that's taking close parking to the limit, and the preponderance of white or silver-grey vehicles in the mess is an interesting statistic)

Regards, 

Bill, 

 Typhoonless Melbourne.

 

[railsquid]

Large parts of Chiba, and also parts of Kanagawa still without power:

 

https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan's-tepco-struggles-to-restore-power-after-typhoon-as-two-die-media

 

On 9/10/2019 at 3:41 PM, ben_issacs said:

 

Some great shots showing the extent of the typhoon damage in Tokyo.

...

Regards, 

Bill,  

 Typhoonless Melbourne.

 

 

I've seen great shots of the aftermath of wildfires in Victoria.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

We are in the process of paying a visit to Japan at this time.

 

We arrived at Narita on Sunday evening and made our way to our Ryokan that evening, hearing vague mentions of a typhoon on its way. The storm woke me up at about 3:00. By the following morning, there was no evidence around Asakusa (where we are staying) of the previous night's storm, so we ventured out. The volumes of people at Ueno was quite staggering, and this was at about 11:00, but for some reason it did not dawn on us that this was the aftermath of the storm. 

 

There were delays on the trains, but by this time things were running (we went up to Saitama City). There seems to be a bit of flack in the papers I saw around JRE's response in particular, which from my perspective seems a little unfair. But then if you are used to an overall excellent services, then standards to which you are measured are greater. My only comment on this is perhaps some of the commentators should witness the morning commute to London after a bit of rain and a stiff breeze. Utter chaos ensues. If the UK were to experience this, then everything would stop, for days on end... Personally, the last time I experienced a storm of the magnitude, it was back in 1987 (which is something to be grateful for).

 

Seeing the reports of the aftermath in Chiba in particular, especially the 3 fatalities, I have great sympathy for their families, as well as those who have endured damage as a result. Also those stranded at Narita, if we were travelling a few hours later, we would have been caught up as well!

Edited September 11, 2019 by Claude_Dreyfus
Chiba, not China!

[ben_issacs]

Railsquid, 

Queensland is in the grip of very unseasonal and extensive bush fires, also NSW.

So far, we, further south, have not yet had any problems, but the way things are going with the weather, who knows?

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[RossDensha]

This video shows the level of congestion on the Shinkansen because of the typhoon. There are many instances where the platform staff have had to hold a red hand signal.

At the end you can see the 19:07 Nozomi is 45 minutes late.

 

[lesliegibson]

Ross,

What is the significance of the red hand signal?

Regards

Les

[bikkuri bahn]

Due to the length of a shinkansen trainset, station platform staff are assigned portions of that total length. In especially crowded conditions, those hand held signal lanterns help to expedite departures by signaling down the complete length of the platform that all passengers have boarded safely. Red indicates pax are still boarding/pre-closing indication, while clear/ green that all have boarded and doors can be closed. 

Edited September 14, 2019 by bikkuri bahn

[lesliegibson]

Thank you bikkuri bahn

Best regards

[RossDensha]

1 hour ago, bikkuri bahn said:

Due to the length of a shinkansen trainset, station platform staff are assigned portions of that total length. In especially crowded conditions, those hand held signal lanterns help to expedite departures by signaling down the complete length of the platform that all passengers have boarded safely. Red indicates pax are still boarding/pre-closing indication, while clear/ green that all have boarded and doors can be closed. 

 Yes. The person who shot the video notes that it is quite a rare occurrence. 

[lesliegibson]

Thank you Ross