Flights Grounded, Evacuations Ordered as Typhoon Ampil Approaches Japan

The storm, categorized as ’very strong' by the Japan Meteorological Agency, was located off the Pacific coast of Japan’s main island on Friday morning.

Waves crash amid Typhoon Ampil, in Hachijo, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan, Aug. 16, 2024. X/@kunisawanet/via Reuters

Japan grounded hundreds of flights and urged tens of thousands of people to evacuate eastern areas on Friday, as Typhoon Ampil approached the country.

The storm is categorized as “very strong” by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The agency has two higher categories—“very strong” and “violent.”