Nearly 4 Million Evacuated as Typhoon Shanshan Hits Southern Japan
Typhoon Shanshan made landfall in southern Japan on Thursday, prompting evacuation orders for nearly 4 million people as the storm battered Kyushu island with hurricane-force winds, torrential rain, and hazardous storm surges.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a rare emergency warning for the slow-moving storm, predicting severe flooding and landslides across most of Kyushu, with record rainfall anticipated.
The storm has already caused significant disruptions, with hundreds of flights canceled, bullet train services suspended, and major companies such as Toyota halting factory operations.
Japanese authorities have issued a Level 4 evacuation advisory for all of Kyushu, affecting 3.7 million residents. This alert is the second-highest and indicates a “life-threatening situation” in towns, particularly in Oita prefecture.
As of Thursday morning, at least one person is reported missing, and dozens have been injured. Earlier in the week, three individuals were killed in a landslide triggered by the typhoon’s winds and rains.
Shanshan has weakened to the equivalent of a Category 1 Atlantic hurricane but continues to dump heavy rain at a slow pace, exacerbating the risk of further damage.
The typhoon’s center, located about 150 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of Sasebo, has brought windspeeds of up to 185 kph (115 mph). Video footage from Miyazaki, near the landfall site, shows extensive damage, including downed power lines and debris-strewn roads. Central Aichi prefecture has also been hit hard, with a landslide on Tuesday claiming the lives of three people.
Forecasts indicate that rainfall could reach up to 1 meter (40 inches) in some hilly and isolated regions. The Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, has warned of “record-breaking rainfall” and is coordinating emergency disaster response measures.
In addition to the storm’s impact on transportation and power infrastructure, several major automakers have temporarily shut down operations at factories in the affected areas. Shanshan is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by the end of Thursday but will continue to move slowly across southwestern Japan and into central regions through the weekend.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, as the effects of the typhoon may spread further. For now, the primary threat remains significant rainfall, with some regions in Shikoku and Honshu also anticipated to experience substantial precipitation.