The 30th typhoon of the year has formed, putting Japan on alert after a string of deadly storms and flooding.
Typhoon Champi was moving west at 18 kilometers per hour in waters about 890 kilometers east-southeast of Guam, the Korea Meteorological Administration said on the 16th. The storm had a central pressure of 985 hectopascals and maximum sustained winds of 27 meters per second, classified as a Level 2 (moderate) typhoon by the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Champi is expected to intensify rapidly as it passes over unusually warm waters, strengthening into a Level 4 (very strong) typhoon on the Korea Meteorological Administration's scale, with maximum winds of 44 to 53 meters per second, by the 19th. By the 21st, it is forecast to move north to waters about 800 kilometers south-southeast of Okinawa, Japan.
The storm's designation as this year's 30th typhoon is itself unusual. It is the first time since 2013, when 31 typhoons formed, that more than 30 have developed in a single year. August alone produced 10 storms, a monthly record.
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Japan has already been battered by typhoons this year. Typhoon Dujuan struck eastern Japan on Sept. 21 and 22, killing 12 people and leaving three missing.
In Oshima, Chiba Prefecture, rainfall reached 832 millimeters over 48 hours, the highest level on record. Four levees collapsed in Chiba Prefecture, submerging homes and shops. Residents of the Kanto region were hit by flooding again before they had finished recovering from torrential rains in August.
In June, Typhoon Jangmi hit the Tokyo area, forcing more than 370,000 people to evacuate and cutting power to more than 5,000 households in the capital region. Typhoon Krovanh also drew in humid air as it dissipated, flooding the city center of Nagoya, host city of the Asian Games.
The Japan Meteorological Agency urged caution over Champi, saying there was concern it could have a major impact around next weekend. The storm is expected to track northwest toward waters south of Okinawa, after which its path remains uncertain, and the possibility that it turns toward the Japanese mainland cannot be ruled out.
Direct effects on the Korean Peninsula are considered unlikely for now. Tourists planning trips to Japan should monitor local weather conditions next week.