A powerful typhoon named Shanshan made landfall near Satsumasendai city in southwestern Kyushu, Japan, bringing gusts of up to 252 kilometers per hour and heavy rain. The storm caused dozens of injuries and cut power to a quarter of a million households. As a result, a Level 5 emergency warning was issued for certain areas due to the risk of life-threatening situations such as flooding and landslides.
One person was reported missing and 39 injured in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, while the Miyakawa River burst its banks in Yufu, Oita Prefecture. Power supply was disrupted for over 250,000 households across seven prefectures on the island of Kyushu. The Japan Meteorological Agency expects the typhoon to move through central and eastern regions, including Tokyo, in the coming days, prompting evacuation orders for millions of people.
The heavy rain from Shanshan has caused significant damage, including three fatalities from a landslide in Gamagori, Aichi prefecture. Car manufacturers Toyota, Nissan, and Honda have halted operations at their factories, while Japan Airlines and ANA have cancelled hundreds of domestic flights. Rail services have also been affected by the storm.
Shanshan is the third major storm system to hit Japan this month, with experts attributing the increased intensity and duration of typhoons to climate change. Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant as the risk of disaster due to heavy rain remains high, particularly in western Japan.
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