Some 120 flights were canceled in Japan on Friday as two tropical storms approached the country, with authorities recommending evacuations of some areas due to the risk of flooding and landslides.
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The storm Mecca arrives with gusts of up to 144 km/h according to forecasters, while heavy rain is already falling on certain regions of southern and western Japan.
It is expected to pass the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku over the weekend and could join the storm Figswhich occurs further in the Pacific.
This union could lead to the appearance of the so-called Fujiwhara effect, which occurs when two storms interact, making their movements and strength difficult to predict.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled a total of 120 flights to and from the Okinawa and Kagoshima regions.
The Kyoto region recommended the evacuation of several thousand residents, warning of potential landslides. Images from public broadcaster NHK showed a swollen river with brownish water flowing through the area.
Kyoto and Osaka announced that the levels of major rivers were rising, calling for vigilance against the risk of flooding.
Automaker Toyota suspended operations at a factory in Kyushu due to road closures caused by heavy rain, while Nissan also said it plans to shut down some production lines, according to Kyodo news agency.
The Japanese military even canceled the first planned flight of a V-22 Osprey aircraft to Miyako Island, which was part of joint exercises with the United States, Kyodo said.
In Taiwan, more than 1,600 people were evacuated from their homes and schools and administrations were closed in several areas, while Mecca caused torrential rains, floods and landslides on the island.
No casualties were reported, but authorities warned Friday of possible dangerous debris flows in mountainous areas of Hualien county in the east, as well as in the cities of Kaohsiung and Pingtung in the south, where the weather agency said up to 88 cm of rain had fallen since Thursday.
Dozens of residents living downstream of a reservoir in a steep area of Hualien have left their homes, a local official said. Some rail lines have been suspended.
