Japan Cancels 120 Flights As Twin Storms Threaten Major Disruptions

Japanese airlines cancelled 120 flights on Friday as two tropical storm systems approached the country, prompting authorities to issue evacuation advisories in several regions due to the risk of flooding and landslides. Severe tropical storm Mekkhala, which was downgraded from a typhoon, continued to bring heavy rainfall and powerful wind gusts of up to 144 km/h across southern and western Japan. Officials urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert as adverse weather conditions intensified.

According to weather forecasters, Mekkhala was expected to pass near the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku over the weekend while tropical storm Higos moved across the Pacific Ocean. Meteorologists warned that the two systems could interact through the Fujiwhara effect, a phenomenon in which nearby tropical cyclones influence each other's paths and intensity, making their movements more difficult to predict. The possibility of this interaction increased concerns over prolonged heavy rainfall and stronger winds.

The severe weather significantly disrupted transportation across southern Japan. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways together cancelled 120 flights serving Okinawa and Kagoshima, affecting hundreds of travellers. Local governments in Kyoto and Osaka also warned that river water levels were rising rapidly, increasing the threat of flash floods. Authorities advised several thousand residents in parts of the Kyoto region to evacuate after heavy rain raised concerns about landslides, while public broadcaster NHK aired footage showing swollen rivers flowing through affected communities.

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The approaching storms also disrupted industrial and military activities. Automaker Toyota temporarily suspended operations at one of its manufacturing plants in Kyushu after heavy rain caused road closures, while Nissan announced plans to halt production on some assembly lines, according to Kyodo News. Separately, Japan's military cancelled the planned maiden flight of a V-22 Osprey transport aircraft to Miyako Island, which was scheduled as part of joint military exercises with the United States, due to the deteriorating weather conditions.

The impact of Mekkhala extended beyond Japan, with neighbouring Taiwan experiencing torrential rainfall, flooding and landslides. More than 1,600 residents were evacuated from their homes, while schools and government offices were closed in several districts as a precaution. Although no fatalities or injuries were immediately reported, authorities warned of dangerous debris flows in the mountainous regions of Hualien County and in the southern areas of Kaohsiung and Pingtung, where rainfall totals had reached as much as 88 centimetres since Thursday.

Officials in Taiwan also evacuated residents living downstream of a newly formed barrier lake in Hualien, fearing that accumulated water could pose additional risks if the natural obstruction failed. Some railway services were suspended due to flooding and unstable ground conditions. Emergency agencies in both Japan and Taiwan continued to monitor the evolving weather systems closely, urging the public to follow official advisories and prepare for further heavy rain, flooding and possible landslides as the twin storms moved across the region.

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