(Bloomberg) -- Severe tropical storm Krosa lashed western and southern Japan with torrential rain and wind, causing Japan Airlines Co. and All Nippon Airways to cancel hundreds of domestic and international flights, and some train lines to halt services.
Some factories in affected regions halted production Thursday, while many were already shut for the traditional summer holiday this week. The storm left about 3,100 homes in the southwest without power as of 6:30 a.m. local time, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on its website.
As of Thursday morning, Krosa was swirling off the country’s Shikoku island and was expected to make landfall by midday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The storm is packing maximum sustained winds as fast as 67 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour).
As much as 100 centimeters (39 inches) of rain is expected in southern and western areas of the country. Flood alerts were issued, including for some regions that last year suffered historic summer rainfall, flooding and landslides that killed more than 100 people.
Whisky and beverages maker Suntory Holdings Ltd. said it closed plants in Osaka, Yamazaki and Kyoto to ensure safety as the storm hits. The nation’s biggest carmaker Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday said its plants were already closed this week for the holidays.
As of Thursday morning, ANA Holdings Inc.’s All Nippon Airways had canceled 230 domestic and 10 international flights. Japan Airlines halted 177 local flights and six international. Other carriers including Skymark Airlines Inc. and Japan Air Commuter Co. grounded some of their flights.
West Japan Railway Co. is halting bullet train services Thursday between Shin-Osaka and Kokura, Fukuoka, on concern the weather could interfere with operating safety. Kyushu Railway Co. said it would reduce its bullet-train operations, while Shikoku Railway Co. said it is stopping all train services for Thursday to ensure safety.
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