Travel

Sudden Storms Leave Trail of Damage in Eastern Japan

TOKYO, Sep 19 (News On Japan) - Stormy weather swept through parts of Kanto on the afternoon of September 18th, with Ibaraki Prefecture reporting around 20 cases of damage from violent winds and other impacts.

In Tsukuba City, a two-story wooden building collapsed shortly before 3 p.m. No one was inside at the time, but the first floor was crushed under the weight of the structure.

A tornado advisory had been issued across Ibaraki Prefecture, and Tsukuba recorded maximum wind gusts of 18.7 meters per second. At a demolition site for a 12-story government housing complex in the city, scaffolding collapsed, though no injuries were reported.

A witness said, "At first it sounded like a strong gust, then it gradually turned into a swirling wind that looked like a tornado might form."

In Sakai Town, a crane toppled over, among other incidents. Authorities said roughly 20 reports of damage have been received in the prefecture. On September 19th, the Meteorological Observatory will conduct surveys in Tsukuba and Sakai to investigate the extent of the wind damage.

Source: TBS

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