Tokyo endures record gales, record high temperatures

[tropicana]

Typhoon-class winds bring warm weather to Japan


Sunday, December 5, 2004 at 16:48 JST
TOKYO — A rapidly growing low-pressure system brought typhoon-class winds to the Japanese archipelago from Saturday night to Sunday morning, causing blackouts, stranding ships and paralyzing some air and land traffic.

In Tokyo, winds of 144 kilometer per hour were recorded early Sunday morning. Tokyoites later observed another meteorological record — the warmest temperatures for December — as warm southwesterly winds that followed the strong winds sent the mercury up to 25C 77F shortly before noon.

A tropical depression brought warm southern winds, causing the temperature to rise to 77 degrees in central Tokyo at 11:29 am, a December record for the area since records began in 1923.

Areas surrounding the capital enjoyed summer conditions with temperatures rising past 25 degrees. People were walking in t-shirts while typhoon-strength winds left trees fallen, traffic signals broken and windows smashed.

Earlier Sunday, gales of 89.7 mph were measured also in central Tokyo — the strongest reading since the Meteorological Agency started compiling similar data in 1964.

At least 21 people were injured due to strong winds, according to Jiji Press news agency.

Police in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, said 13 people were injured.

"A 79-year-old woman broke her right shoulder after she was hit by a gust and fell," a police official said.

Injuries to the other 12 were not serious, ranging from people being hit by flying objects to others getting their fingers slammed in doors, he said.

Off the coast of Chiba prefecture, the empty 460-ton Japanese chemical tanker Kissho Maru was stranded.

"Five crew members are on board but they are all safe, and there was no fuel leakage," a spokesman for the Japan Coast Guard said.

Strong winds also blew a 2,922-ton cement tanker to the shore in northern Japan. Helicopters airlifted all 11 crew members.

Gales also caused a blackout in Chiba and paralyzed air and railway traffic.

The Meteorological Agency warned residents in eastern and northern Japan regions to be careful of strong winds, high waves and heavy snowfall as the depression moves northeast.
-justin-