WEB DESK
At least nine people were dead and more than 300 others injured following powerful typhoon Jebi in Japan. It has stranded about 3,000 travelers at Kansai International Airport, one of the country’s main travel hubs.
According to NHK, one runway was totally covered in water because of a storm surge. Transport ministry officials say several planes were submerged up to their engines. The airport was completely shut down Tuesday afternoon.
Powerful winds rammed a fuel tanker into the bridge linking the airport to the city of Izumisano in Osaka.
Eleven crew members were on board, but none were injured. All of them have been rescued.
The tanker crew could not start its engine, and officials are waiting for the weather to improve to tug the vessel.
An operation to free the stranded crew had to be called off because of a ruptured gas pipe along the bridge.
The crash cut off road and rail links to the airport. Parts of the terminal buildings are without power, and cell phone connections are poor. Travelers lined up at a convenience store to stock up on food.
It is not yet clear when the airport will resume operations.