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Typhoon bears down on Tokyo
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Tokyo residents are bracing for the onslaught of Typhoon Higos, forecast to be one of the most powerful storms in recent memory to hit the Japanese capital. The full force of the storm was expected to hit the city at around midnight local time on Tuesday night (1500 GMT). After rapidly deteriorating weather throughout the day forecasters are predicting heavy rains, with several hundred millimeters expected to fall in some areas. Flooding, high tides, landslides and unusually strong winds are also expected as Higos moves north at 60 kph across Japan's main island. As of Tuesday evening the typhoon was packing winds of 175 kph with gusts of up to 215 kph, although forecasters say the storm is likely to weaken somewhat after making landfall. As Higos zeroed in on the Japanese capital there had been just one reported casualty -- a man hospitalized after being hit by falling debris, Tokyo based journalist Steve Herman told CNN. Transport however has been hit hard with more than 200 flights cancelled and train services suspended. Baseball games and other public events have been suspended and some homes have been damaged as a result of the typhoon. Some companies in the capital sent workers home from work early to avoid them having to travel at the peak of the storm. Outlying islands have undergone power blackouts after experiencing the highest wind velocities ever recorded in those regions. Higos is the third typhoon to hit Japan since spring, however it is far more powerful than most other typhoons to have hit the country. Almost a month ago the southern island of Okinawa was lashed by Typhoon Sinlaku, bringing with it winds of up to 145 kph (90 mph), injuring 29 people and cutting power to tens of thousands of homes.
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