Tuesday 14 October 2014

Typhoon Vongfong

It has not been easy to get up-to-date information, but here is ENENews' report and an earlier one from the Daily Mail.

This is from Robert in Tokyo who got to sleep in his own bed rather than a hotel room

"Well, the storm has arrived! Strong winds and rain. I just wanna sleep!"

Whilst this storm did weaken, apart from the bigger picture of climate change and storms coming out of a much warmer ocean, there is the question of the effect on Fukushima Dai'ichi.

Every time a storm like this strikes, although it is not the end of the world it releases still more radiation into the environment.  This is not something that is going to go away soon, if ever.

Gov’t issues ‘inundation warning’ for Fukushima Daiichi as year’s strongest storm to hit within hours

  • Tepco bracing for overflows
  • Officials warn of landslides and torrential rains… ‘ground-loosening’ south of plant
  • Danger from tornadoes, storm surge, violent waves along coast

Turbulent: High waves batter a breakwater at a port of Kawaminami town in Miyazaki prefecture, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu

13 October, 2014


Reuters, Oct. 13, 2014: The strongest storm to hit Japan this year battered the southern islands… early on Monday, brought heavy rain to Tokyo… [Tepco] said in a statement it had also increased the water transfer and storage capacity to prevent an overflow of radioactive water being stored at the [Fukushima] plant…

Yahoo News, Oct. 13, 2014: [The] Fukushima nuclear power plant is bracing itself for the arrival of powerful typhoon Vongfong [which] could reach the plant Tuesday, authorities said… employees would be patrolling the plant facilities at all times in order to prevent overflows or an increase in the contaminated water that accumulates in the basements, the company said… [Vongfong] was expected to arrive in Tokyo early Tuesday from where it would head northeast to the Fukushima plant. Authorities have issued warnings of torrential rains and landslides…

Accuweather, Oct. 13, 2014: Vongfong brought another round of torrential rainfall and locally damaging winds… Vongfong still threatens dangerous and life-threatening conditions to Honshu through Tuesday. Nearly 300 mm (12 inches) of rain fell in only 12 hours in Sumoto… (TEPCO) took precautions to prevent problems at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station… the storm will still bring life-threatening conditions areas in it’s path with the greatest impacts expected in Honshu… The combination of heavy rainfall from Vongfong with recent heavy rainfall from Phanfone will lead to a heighten risk for mudslides across Honshu…

The Japan Times, Oct. 13, 2014:  The [JMA] said that eastern and northern Japan should expect more than 80 mm of rain fall per hour along the Pacific coast, where tornados, storm surges and violent waves would all pose dangers.

TEPCO, Oct. 13, 2014: Preparation for Typhoon No. 19 (Vongfong) at Fukushima Daiichi NPS — Installing rainwater guttering on tanks and shielding the dikes from heavy rain have been completed. Typhoon No. 19 (Vongfong) is expected to approach Kanto region and could affect Fukushima Daiichi NPS in next few days. To prepare for the typhoon, TEPCO has [prepared] to prevent overflow of the accumulated water… TEPCO will have workers to patrol the premises at all hours and confident that there will be no overflow…

TEPCO, Oct. 13, 2014: Very heavy winds are forecasted due to the typhoon, which could cause electric wires to be torn off and hung down.




Fukushima safety measures tightened, 500 flights cancelled and 59 injured as typhoon Vongfong sweeps up the Japanese coast



14 October, 2014
PUBLISHED: 17:14 GMT, 12 October 2014 | UPDATED: 12:28 GMT, 13 October 2014


Safety measures at the devastated Fukushima nuclear power plant were tightened today as the strongest storm to hit Japan this year battered the southern islands of Kyushu and Shikoku.


Typhoon Vongfong brought heavy rain to Tokyo and caused extensive travel disruption across Japan, where 820,000 people have been urged to leave their homes and seek shelter.



Many trains in western cities were suspended, while more than 500 domestic flights were cancelled, the public broadcaster NHK said. At least one overseas flight was cancelled, according to an airline.


Stormy: People struggle with their umbrellas as they fight through the strong wind  and rain delivered by Typhoon Vongfong in Himeji, Japan, which surpassed Genevieve for the most intense western Pacific typhoon of 2014, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency
Stormy: People struggle with their umbrellas as they fight through the strong wind and rain delivered by Typhoon Vongfong in Himeji, Japan, which surpassed Genevieve for the most intense western Pacific typhoon of 2014, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency
Duty: A traffic policeman stands stoically in the middle of the road as he's buffeted by Typhoon Vongfong's wind and rain
Duty: A traffic policeman stands stoically in the middle of the road as he's buffeted by Typhoon Vongfong's wind and rain

Cleverly done: A man holds his umbrella close to its canopy to stop it from being blown around in the high winds
Cleverly done: A man holds his umbrella close to its canopy to stop it from being blown around in the high winds

Mistake! This man, on the other hand, seems to be having a few problems with his umbrella
Mistake! This man, on the other hand, seems to be having a few problems with his umbrella

Turbulent: High waves batter a breakwater at a port of Kawaminami town in Miyazaki prefecture, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu
Turbulent: High waves batter a breakwater at a port of Kawaminami town in Miyazaki prefecture, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu

Incoming: High waves surge towards the port, although the Typhoon's power has weakened somewhat since yesterday
Incoming: High waves surge towards the port, although the Typhoon's power has weakened somewhat since yesterday

Windy: Trees by deserted streets are blown by strong winds at Kagoshima, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu
Windy: Trees by deserted streets are blown by strong winds at Kagoshima, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu



About 4,900 households in Tokyo suburbs were without power, media said, and rain in the city was expected to intensify overnight.


Vongfong continued to batter the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, 1,000 miles south of Tokyo, where it landed yesterday, and moved up to also hit Kyushu and Shikoku islands, injuring 59 people, NHK said.

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