Japan Issues Top-Level Alert as Powerful Typhoon Hits
Japan has issued its highest level of alert to over five million people after one of the strongest typhoons in decades hit the country. Typhoon Shanshan has caused severe damage, with at least four people killed and more than 90 injured.
The storm has left hundreds of thousands without power and is disrupting transport across the southern island of Kyushu, where the storm made landfall.
Residents in the hardest-hit areas have been told to take immediate action to protect themselves, either by moving to safer locations or finding higher ground in their homes.
The typhoon, which landed in Kagoshima prefecture early on Thursday, has since weakened to a severe tropical storm but continues to bring heavy rain and strong winds as it moves northeast.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported winds up to 157 mph and has issued a rare “special warning” due to the extreme storm conditions. The typhoon has caused significant damage, including uprooted trees, overturned cars, and shattered windows.
In central Japan, a landslide triggered by the storm killed a couple in their 70s and a man in his 30s on Tuesday night. Another person, an 80-year-old man from Tokushima prefecture, died after his house roof collapsed on Thursday.
Many major companies, like Toyota and Nissan, have closed their factories due to safety concerns and potential parts shortages caused by the storm. Travel has also been heavily impacted, with hundreds of flights canceled and high-speed train services suspended.
Shanshan’s arrival follows Typhoon Ampil earlier this month and comes after heavy rains from Tropical Storm Maria. Climate change is leading to more intense and longer-lasting storms in the region, according to recent studies.
The JMA expects Shanshan to continue moving across Japan through the weekend, reaching the capital, Tokyo, soon.
For more updates, BBC News provides comprehensive coverage of this developing situation.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2vk1z2ggo