video credit - @hellomine7 Footage shows drivers battling through heavy rain in Chiba prefecture, Japan, this morning as Typhoon Ampil intensified. The driver recorded the video along the Bayside Road in Hanamigawa district of Chiba city shortly before 10 am local time. Thousands are being told to evacuate, with some homes losing power on Friday as the typhoon approaches the coast near the capital Tokyon. Meteorology officials have warned that northern and eastern Japan may experience violent winds, rough seas, heavy rain, flooding, landslides, and overflowing rivers. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center reports that the storm, located 121 nautical miles southeast of Yokosuka, Greater Tokyo, has intensified to the equivalent strength of a Category 4 hurricane, bringing winds of up to 212 kilometres per hour as it moves north at 18 kph. Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution and stay prepared.