Thousands stranded by typhoon in Japan

Typhoon Faxai in Japan has left thousands of travellers stranded after over 100 flights had to be cancelled. The typhoon has also left nearly a million homes without power, according to the BBC.

Stranded passengers. Image source: Twitter

The typhoon (pronounced fah-ksai) made landfall on Monday 9 September in the coastal city of Chiba in eastern Japan. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), heavy rains and wind speeds of 193km/h were experienced.

The storm has since moved on to Tokyo, where all modes of transport have halted. The BBC reported that subway stations were packed with commuters who were stranded, waiting for bullet trains and subway services that have been shut down.

Over 100 flights to and from Tokyo have been cancelled, according to the BBC. Forty-nine Japanese Airlines flights and 41 operated by All Nippon Airways have been cancelled. An airport spokesperson told BBC that a total of 6,800 passengers have been stranded at Narita International Airport, one of the two international airports in the Tokyo area.

While flights have still been arriving in Tokyo, blocked highways and shut-down railways to the city centre means that passengers arriving have no way of leaving the airport.