Originally Posted by
jib71
I was just joking.
But since I've made that silly comment, I guess it's worth saying that there are often reports of fatal accidents involving people who went out to watch the typhoon and got swept out to sea or hit by an object that was flying through the air. It is not a good idea to be outside during these storms.
Surfers who look for typhoon waves are nuts. I can imagine some surfer with a surfboard strapped onto his bike trying to head for the beach in this kind of wind.
Anyhow, I wanted to put a few tips I've gleaned as an armchair traveler who lives in non-hurricane area as knowing what to do when "it is a small one" manages some of the anxiety and stress.
- Stay away from rivers and large bodies of water as mentioned and from areas prone to mudslides
- Prepare for no power or water (electric pump) - charge mobile devices, wash self, fill tub to water flush toilet.
- Stock some bottled water and shelf stable food. If you have perishables that will go bad without power, cook or eat them first.
- Locate emergency exit & stairs in case you need to evacuate or leave before the power comes back
- Locate the flashlight. All business hotel rooms and ryokan have them (at least that I've been to). Perhaps buy extra batteries, too.
- Close the curtains to avoid debris or broken glass. If your room windows open, close them.
- Monitor train & airline websites in case of travel interruptions. JR Twitter accounts or JP site might have more current or comprehensive data so worth checking both.
- People do go out if it isn't too bad but avoid long distance travel in areas which will probably be impacted to avoid being stranded if things get worse.
Some less obvious (to me) ones:
- Typhoons can be loud. Earplugs might not be a bad idea.
- If you have a rental car, fill the tank and perhaps go park it in an indoor lot to save yourself some trouble
- Clothing might take a while to air dry indoors due to high humidity. A few trash bag liners will help keep stuff in a bag/suitcase dry if it is safe to go out but still raining buckets.
- Charge up your power bank as mobile disaster warnings will probably run down your phone's battery. As will the insomnia browsing due to the noise (see #1 )
- Bed under the window? Consider moving the bed/mattress/futon if possible. If you're checking in, this also might not be a bad time to request a lower floor if possible as the elevator power might go out and you have to take the stairs. The buildings are seismically built to sway which gets worse with height in high winds.
- Tidy things up in case you're told to evacuate your room or need to get to the bathroom when there's no power.