Japan in Frenzy to Hunt for More Typhoon Wipha Survivors as New Stronger Typhoon Francisco Looms
Japan is now in a frenzy to hunt and rescue more survivor's from last week's Typhoon Wipha amidst warnings of another potentially disastrous strong Typhoon Francisco could strike the country in a few days.
On Monday, authorities resumed search and rescue operations for victims of Typhoon Wipha, including the 19 people who continue to be missing. Typhoon Wipha last week triggered a series of landslides on Izu Oshima island, which is less than 100 miles away from Japan's capital of Tokyo.
Typhoon Wipha had killed at 27 people and displaced some 2,300 residents who were advised to relocate amidst fear of further calamity in light of the upcoming Typhoon Francisco.
Read: Japan Typhoon Wipha: Dumps Rainwater Anew on Crippled Fukushima Nuclear Plant, 17 Dead, 50 Missing
"As the (next) typhoon is coming and rain is expected to start falling again, we would like to do as much searching as possible beforehand, and return the missing to their families," Oshima Mayor Masafumi Kawashima told AFP.
"The town (has) advised residents to return home for now and calmly prepare for the next evacuation."
Typhoon Francisco is generating very rough seas, Science Codex reported, quoting the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).
"Francisco is kicking up wave heights of 43 feet/13.1 meters in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean as it nears Kadena Air Base and Amami Oshima. Both of those islands are expected to feel gusty winds and rain on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 22, 23 and 24 (local time). Tropical-storm-force winds are most likely on those islands on Oct. 24 (local time) when Francisco is closest to them."
Typhoon Francisco, the JTWC predicts, will weaken to a category one typhoon as it nears southern Japan on Oct. 24.