Typhoon Phanfone reaches Japan, US servicemen feared dead

Phanfone reached central Japan near Hamamatsu City on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. With winds of 180 kilometers per hour (112 mph), officials have advised hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. The agency has warned of mudslides, heavy rains, swollen rivers and strong winds around the country.

Three US airmen were engulfed by high waves stemming from the storm while taking pictures off the coast of Okinawa on Sunday afternoon. One of them was recovered but later pronounced dead at a local hospital, while the other two remain missing, the US Kadena Air Base said in a statement.

The search for the airmen was halted due to the weather. Around half of the 50,000 US servicemen stationed in Japan live on Okinawa.

The Okinawa Times newspaper said Sunday that a 58-year-old woman was found dead on the island after falling from a cliff in strong winds. Authorities, meanwhile, were searching for a university student off the coast of Fujisawa city, south of Tokyo, who went missing while surfing in the area, broadcaster NHK reported.

Infrastructure hampered

The storm forced the cancelation of 608 flights scheduled for Monday and many train services were suspended, NHK said.

Search operations were suspended on Mount Ontake, which saw a volcanic eruption last month that left at least 51 people dead and 12 missing. Authorities have warned that the typhoon has made the mountain, located in central Japan, a mudslide risk.

In the central city of Suzuka, the Japanese Grand Prix was shortened because heavy rainfall made the race too difficult. Formula One driver Jules Bianchi went off the track during a turn and hit a recovery vehicle that was aiding an earlier crash. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and underwent emergency surgery for a severe head injury.

Typhoon in Guam

Elsewhere in the Pacific Ocean, a separate typhoon hit the Mariana Islands, including Guam, with high winds and heavy rain. Power outages were reported in some areas on the island of Rota on Monday morning.

Typhoon Vongfong brought winds of around 105 mph, Roger Edison of the National Weather Service in Guam said.

Residents in Guam were warned of possible flooding and high winds and advised to take shelter in designated public schools. Government and many business offices were expected to be closed Monday, and most flights were canceled.

dr/av (dpa, AFP, AP)