Typhoon Lan Down on Japan

As an impending typhoon pounded communities along Japan's Pacific coast on Monday with heavy rain and crashing waves, authorities issued a warning about landslides and floods.

The Japan Meteorological Agency estimates that Lan, which is expected to make landfall on Honshu early on Tuesday, might drop up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) of rain in certain areas in the 24 hours before 6:00 am Tuesday (2100 GMT Tuesday).

When the system approaches Honshu on Tuesday, the meteorological service forecasts gusts of up to 180 kph in certain towns on Monday and up to 162 km/h (100 mph) on Monday.

It was anticipated that the storm will make landfall near the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula, some 600 kilometers west of Tokyo, before veering inland toward Osaka, the largest city in western Japan.

By late Monday morning, one municipality in the Wakayama area had begun urging the neighborhood's senior citizens to think about leaving their houses for public shelters.

Public transportation was also suspended on Tuesday due to the impending storm, creating difficulties for tourists during the customary "obon" travel week.

Millions of families often travel back to their hometowns around this time of year, but some individuals opted to cut their holiday short and headed back to their cities on Monday before the typhoon hit.

On Monday, 19 flights were canceled by Japan Airlines, while 240 flights were canceled on Tuesday. All Nippon Airways, a competitor, also intended to make cancellation announcements later.

On Tuesday, a number of high-speed "Shinkansen" train segments are also expected to be halted, particularly in areas close to the regional economic centers of Osaka and Nagoya on Honshu island.

As of Monday morning, Lan was traveling at a speed of up to 198 kph and was located 260 kilometers southeast of Cape Shionomisaki on the Kii Peninsula.