Typhoon Jebi has made landfall in western Japan, flooding a major airport on a man-made island and leaving a trail of destruction, officials say. At least one person was killed and dozens more are injured.
Jebi, which means “swallow” in Korean, made landfall on the island of Shikoku at around noon on Tuesday. It was the strongest typhoon to hit one of Japan’s main islands since 1993, when Typhoon Yancy killed 48 people.
As Jebi made its second landfall on the main island of Honshu, it caused significant flooding at Kansai International Airport, which is located on a small, man-made island off Izumisano.
Video from the airport showed that the entire island was submerged in water, trapping people inside the airport buildings. A shelter was set up in the ballroom of the airport’s hotel.
It is unclear how many people are stranded, but there were no immediate reports of injuries at the airport. The water started to recede just after 4 p.m. and some parts of the airport were dry by 4:55 p.m.
While the island was flooded, a fuel tanker carrying 11 people crashed into Sky Gate Bridge R, which links the airport to Izumisano. The damage has forced the closure of the bridge but no crew members were injured.
Operations at the airport have been suspended and the Transport Ministry said it’s unknown how long it could take to resume flights. All Nippon Airways said it has canceled hundreds of domestic flights.
Damage and flooding was also reported in other parts of the affected area. Videos shared by residents showed vehicles being blown away, rooftops being torn off, and some buildings partially collapsing.
Japanese broadcaster NHK said at least one person was killed as a result of Typhoon Jebi, but details about the victim were not immediately known. At least 76 others have been injured, according to the broadcaster.
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