Typhoon Shanshan Barrels Through Japan, Five Dead

AFP/APP

Japan: Typhoon Shanshan, one of the strongest storms to hit Japan in decades, slowly made its way up the Japanese archipelago on Friday, unleashing torrential rains and causing widespread transport disruptions, with the reported death toll rising to five.

Although the typhoon had weakened by early morning, with gusts still reaching 126 kilometers (78 miles) per hour, it continued to wreak havoc across the region. Before making landfall on the island of Kyushu, a landslide triggered by heavy rains killed three members of the same family late Tuesday in Aichi Prefecture, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) away.

Two more fatalities were reported, including a man last seen on a small boat in Kyushu and another individual whose two-story home partially collapsed in Tokushima Prefecture on the neighboring island of Shikoku. At least 81 people have been injured, many of whom were hurt by broken glass after the typhoon smashed windows and ripped tiles off roofs when it struck Kyushu on Thursday with gusts of up to 252 kph.

Authorities issued their highest alert in several areas, advising more than five million people to evacuate, though it was unclear how many heeded the warnings. In Ninomiya, near Tokyo, residents were urged to take “immediate measures” for safety, such as moving to higher floors, after a local river flooded.

Parts of Kyushu experienced record rainfall for August, with the town of Misato recording a staggering 791.5 millimeters (31 inches) in just 48 hours, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Power outages affected more than 250,000 households in Kyushu, though by Friday, only 6,500 homes remained without electricity as engineers worked to repair damaged transmission lines.

The typhoon also caused significant travel disruptions. Many motorways in Kyushu and beyond were either fully or partially closed. Shinkansen bullet trains were suspended in Kyushu and on the major route between Tokyo and Osaka, with operators warning of further disruptions.

Japan Airlines and ANA canceled over 600 flights on Friday, affecting nearly 50,000 passengers, after having already canceled a similar number of flights the previous day.

The storm’s impact extended to Japan’s industrial sector as well. Auto giant Toyota suspended production at all 14 of its factories in Japan, while Nissan and Honda also halted operations at their Kyushu plants. Chipmakers, including Tokyo Electron, followed suit, according to reports.

Typhoon Shanshan follows in the wake of Typhoon Ampil, which earlier this month caused heavy rains that disrupted hundreds of flights and trains but resulted in only minor injuries and damage. Recent studies suggest that typhoons in the region have been forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly, and lasting longer over land due to climate change.

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