Japan battered by powerful Typhoon Shanshan, 5 deaths reported

A bus is seen submerged in floodwaters in Yufu city of Oita prefecture on August 29, 2024, when Typhoon Shanshan dumps torrential rains across southern regions of Japan. | Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP

OITA, Japan — One of Japan’s strongest typhoons in decades dumped torrential rain across southern regions on Thursday, leaving at least five people dead and injuring dozens, local media reported, as authorities warned millions to seek higher ground due to possible flooding and landslides.

Typhoon Shanshan packed gusts of up to 252 kilometres (157 miles) per hour as it smashed into Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu early Thursday, making it the most powerful storm this year and one of the strongest at landfall since 1960.

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The storm then weakened, with maximum gusts of 162 kph at 5:00 pm (0800 GMT), the weather office said, but it was still dumping heavy rain across Kyushu and beyond as it moved slowly towards the main island of Honshu.

Five people have been found dead in the storm, Jiji Press reported, including a man whose two-story home collapsed in Tokushima Prefecture.

This handout photo taken and released by Miyazaki City Hall on August 29, 2024 shows a car overturned by strong winds from Typhoon Shanshan in Miyazaki. | Photo by Handout / Miyazaki City Hall / AFP

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that “the risk of a disaster due to heavy rain can rapidly escalate in western Japan as Friday approaches”.

Even before Shanshan hit, heavy precipitation led to three members of the same family being killed in a landslide late Tuesday in Aichi prefecture around 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) from Kyushu.

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Authorities issued their highest alert in several areas of the country, with more than five million people advised to evacuate, although it was unclear how many did.

Kunisaki city in the Oita region of Kyushu warned inhabitants to “evacuate to a safe place or higher place such as the second floor of your house” because of the risk of flooding.

At least 80 people were injured across Kyushu, the JMA said.

Rains turned rivers into raging torrents while winds smashed windows and blew tiles off roofs. TV images showed flooded roads and power lines being repaired.

The coastal city of Miyazaki, littered with debris from nearly 200 damaged buildings, reported 25 injuries — including some from a tornado.

Some parts of Miyazaki prefecture saw record rains for August, with the town of Misato recording a staggering 791.5 millimetres (31 inches) in 48 hours, the JMA said.

Worried student Aoi Nishimoto, 18, said he had called his family in Miyazaki to see if they were safe.

“Our home is fine, but there was a tornado in Miyazaki and power went out in some places,” he told AFP in Kyushu’s main city of Fukuoka.

“This year, I am away from my parents’ home for the first time. So it’s a bit scary being all alone,” fellow student Rio Ohtsuru, 19, told AFP.

“Maybe I will look for a flashlight in case of a power outage,” she said.

Kyushu’s utility operator said 187,010 houses were without power elsewhere on the island.

Climate change

Shanshan comes in the wake of Typhoon Ampil, which dumped heavy rain that disrupted hundreds of flights and trains this month but caused only minor injuries and damage.

Typhoons in the region have been forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly and lasting longer over land due to climate change, according to a study released last month.

Another released by World Weather Attribution (WWA) on Thursday said that climate change turbocharged Typhoon Gaemi, which killed dozens of people across the Philippines, Taiwan and China this year.

In the city of Usa, retiree Fukashi Oishi looked forlornly at an old tree opposite his house that was already mature when he was a child but had snapped and fallen on the road.

“Oh, it’s so sad,” he told AFP.

Toyota production halt

Auto giant Toyota suspended production at all 14 of its factories in Japan.

Nissan and Honda also halted operations at their Kyushu plants, as did chipmakers including Tokyo Electron, reports said.

Kyushu is a hub for the semiconductor industry, with chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company opening a plant there in February.

Japan Airlines and ANA cancelled more than 1,000 domestic flights and four international flights for Thursday and Friday, affecting more than 44,000 passengers.

Rail operators suspended most Shinkansen bullet trains between Kyushu’s Hakata and Tokyo, and said services would be disrupted elsewhere on Friday.