Typhoon Trami made landfall in Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan at around 20:00 local time on Sunday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which urged caution for extremely strong winds and torrential rain.
It is expected to churn toward the eastern and northern part of the country, the agency said.
Typhoon Trami has already sparked travel disruption in the world's third-biggest economy, with bullet train services in the west of Japan suspended, more than 1,000 flights were canceled due to the closure of a key airport hub and Tokyo's evening train service scrapped.
Typhoon Trami hurtled toward Japan's mainland, September 29, 2018. /VCG Photo
Trami tore through the southern island of Okinawa on Saturday, bringing winds strong enough to flip over cars. Several houses were flooded or damaged and 40 people on the island sustained minor injuries but no one was feared dead, local officials said.
Nationwide, authorities have issued non-compulsory evacuation advisories to 1.5 million residents, according to NHK.
Pedestrians carry a bag as they walk against a strong wind after Typhoon Trami hit the city of Kagoshima on Kyushu island, September 30, 2018. /VCG Photo
Nearly 500,000 households in Kyushu and Okinawa have lost power, local authorities said.
As the typhoon barreled east, rail authorities took the highly unusual step of canceling evening train services in Tokyo, one of the world's busiest networks, urging passengers to shelter indoors when the storm hits. The typhoon is not expected to hit the capital head-on but strong winds and heavy rain are still feared from later Sunday. Some businesses were already putting up shutters and hunkering down.
Heavy rain and wind caused by typhoon Trami in Okinawa, Japan, September 29, 2018. /VCG Photo
"We are strongly urging our residents to stay indoors because it is extremely dangerous to be outside now," Masaaki Tamaki, an official of Kagoshima's disaster management section said.
The Japanese meteorological agency warned the typhoon would bring strong winds and downpours, which could trigger landslides and floods as well as lightning strikes and tornados across the nation.
(Cover Photo: VCG Photo)
