Oita, Japan—Typhoon Shanshan, one of the strongest in decades to hit Japan, whipped southern Japan with torrential rains and powerful winds Thursday, killing at least five people and injuring dozens. With a storm of this magnitude pummeling their region, authorities issued urgent warnings to millions, encouraging those people to higher and safer ground amid rising concerns over flooding and landslides.
Typhoon Shanshan Hits Southern Japan Typhoon Shanshan hit Japan’s southern island of Kyushu early Thursday with wind gusts as strong as 252 kilometers per hour-157 miles per hour. That made it the most powerful storm to hit this year and one of the strongest to hit Japan since 1960. Japan’s weather agency continued to dump heavy rain across the region as the typhoon slowly changed course toward the main island of Honshu.
Death Toll and Casualties Mount as Typhoon Shanshan Batters Kyushu The storm has killed at least five people, local media report. Among the dead was a man whose two-story house in Tokushima Prefecture had collapsed. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there is a possibility that the risk of disasters due to flooding and landslides may surge suddenly, especially in western Japan as it gets closer to Friday.
Evacuations and Warnings Issued as Typhoon Shanshan Hits Authorities issued their highest alerts for several regions with more than five million advised to evacuate. Residents in Kunisaki city, Oita Prefecture were advised early today to move to higher ground or go to the second floor of their house amid concern over flooding. It is not yet known how many people are heeding the orders to flee.
Widespread Destruction in Kyushu Typhoon Shanshan is blowing violently across Kyushu. In the coastal city of Miyazaki, it has damaged nearly 200 buildings and injured at least 25 people, including those due to a tornado. The town of Misato in Miyazaki Prefecture recorded a massive 791.5 millimeters of rain in 48 hours-an all-time high for the month of August.
Human Impact and Power Outage Heavy rain and strong winds turned rivers into violent torrents, shattered windows and blew tiles off roofs. At least 80 injured across Kyushu and 187,010 houses were without electricity. While some concerned residents, such as Aoi Nishimoto, an 18-year-old student, have been anxiously calling family members to inquire about their safety, others such as Rio Ohtsuru, 19, are preparing for possible power outages.
Climate Change’s Role in Typhoon Shanshan’s Impact The devastating effects of Typhoon Shanshan put a stamp on the increasing role of climate change in the pattern of weather. A study shows that typhoons are forming closer to coastlines, are intensifying more rapidly, and tend to last longer over land in a changing climate. Another report from World Weather Attribution concluded that climate change was a factor in turbocharging Typhoon Gaemi that brought widespread destruction earlier this year.
Economic Impact: Major Companies Suspend Operations The economic impact of Typhoon Shanshan is also felt across Japan. Automobile giants Toyota, Nissan, and Honda have stopped operations in their plants, particularly in Kyushu, which happens to be a very vital semiconductor hub. Chipmakers like Tokyo Electron also stopped working. Japan Airlines and ANA canceled more than 1,000 domestic and international flights, affecting over 44,000 passengers. The rail services, including the Shinkansen bullet trains, have also suffered a great deal.
Indeed, Typhoon Shanshan has caused extensive destruction in southern Japan with an impressive number of deaths, more injured, and so many houses destroyed. As the nation braces for the aftermath, the storm is a grim reminder of how extreme weather conditions strike with increasing frequency and intensification, which may be due to climate change.
