Olympic Games: storm remains threat, bringing rain as it lurks off coast

A storm off Japan’s east coast remained a threat to the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, despite not battering the host city with devastating winds and rain as initially feared.

Wind and rain sweeping Tokyo Bay delayed the start of the women’s triathlon early in the morning, and the storm could threaten two medal games for softball later in the day.

For surfers, however, the weather proved a boon, prompting organisers to move the surfing medal events a day earlier than scheduled to take advantage of the waves.

Japan’s hot, wet and unstable summer weather patterns have been a persistent concern for the Games, which opened on Friday, compounding difficulties for an Olympics being held under a Covid-19 state of emergency.

Wind and rain delayed the start of the women’s triathlon which was won by Bermuda’s Flora Duffy.
Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021

Tokyo was forecast to receive up 31.5mm of rain over 24 hours from tropical storm Nepartak, now forecast to make landfall in the north early Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

It was headed toward Sendai, 370km up the coast from Tokyo, according to the Tropical Storm Risk monitoring site.

Although Tokyo was spared a predicted overnight deluge, Nepartak remained a tropical storm, able to pack winds up to 118kmph, as it meandered off Japan’s east coast, rather than weakening to a tropical depression while ploughing northwest, as earlier forecast.

The storm had earlier disrupted the schedules of rowing and archery. The men’s triathlon went ahead on Monday.

Rather than avoid the bad weather, organisers moved the surfing semi-finals and finals forward a day to make the most of big, bold waves that are expected to abate as the weather changes on Wednesday.

Billy Stairmand of New Zealand competes in the men’s surfing at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach yesterday. Semi-finals and finals are being held today to capitalise on bigger waves.
Photo: ISA Surf 2021 / Sean Evan

Overall, athletes could welcome a slight respite from the extreme heat that had earlier caused an Olympic archer to collapse. Tuesday’s forecast high temperature was 31 degrees Celsius, below recent highs of 35 degrees Celsius.

The Japanese army said it was monitoring the situation, ready to deploy its FAST-force disaster troops if needed.

South of Tokyo, the authorities were warning residents to prepare for more heavy rain after 21 people died in mudslides from torrential rains earlier this month.

– Reuters

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