Janice R. Andrews
In southern Japan on Thursday, Typhoon Shanshan hit land and caused “unprecedented” winds, heavy rain, and a strong storm surge that destroyed a lot of property and killed many people. According to Japan’s emergency management office, at least three people died and dozens more were hurt when the storm hit the area. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned that bad weather will continue and asked millions of people to leave their homes to stay safe.
What Typhoon Shanshan Did to Japan
When the storm hit, it brought winds of up to 112 mph and over two feet of rain to some places, floods and damage all over. The storm has mostly hit the southwestern part of Japan. More than 5 million people have been told to leave Kyushu, the country’s third-largest island, because of the storm. Central Japan has also been hit by these evacuation orders and reports of landslides after heavy rain on Wednesday.
Satoshi Sugimoto, a top forecaster for the JMA, said earlier this week, “Maximum caution is required given that forecasts are for strong winds, high waves, and high tides that have not been seen thus far.” This shows how bad the situation is. This warning makes it clear that Typhoon Shanshan is very strong. It is one of the biggest storms to hit Japan in recent years.
Mass evacuations and power outages
About 20,000 people from all over Kyushu have taken shelter in community centres and school gyms while the storm continues to cause damage. The Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency says that more than 70 people were hurt while trying to get to these shelters. Updates from local power companies show that as of 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, more than 150,000 homes on Kyushu did not have power.
The problems that Typhoon Shanshan caused are not limited to the damage it did to homes and buildings. Because of the storm, it’s been hard to get things done. For example, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines have had to cancel about 800 trips. There are also no trains, cars, or boats running in many parts of Kyushu, leaving people who live there and people who are travelling stuck.
Damage to Business and Infrastructure
Cities on the eastern side of Kyushu, like Miyazaki, have been hit hard by Typhoon Shanshan. Strong winds and heavy rain have uprooted trees, broken windows, and even thrown stopped cars around. Many companies and factories had to close temporarily because of the storm, which made its effects on Japan’s infrastructure and economy even worse.
Because of the storm, many big companies, like Toyota, Nissan, and Honda, have shut down their plants. All 14 of Toyota’s plants in Japan have stopped working, and Nissan and Honda have briefly shut down their plants in Kyushu. Mazda, which is also a big automaker, has shut down two of its plants in western Japan until Friday. Because Japan is such an important part of the car industry, these cuts are likely to have big effects on the economy both in Japan and around the world.
Looking Ahead: The Path of Typhoon Shanshan
Meteorologists think that Typhoon Shanshan will keep moving northeast, which could make central and eastern Japan, including Tokyo, vulnerable this weekend. The storm’s path is being closely watched, and authorities are still on high alert in case something else happens. The JMA has stressed the importance of being alert and told people in affected areas to keep up with weather reports and follow evacuation orders.
Japan is getting ready for even worse weather in the next few days. This is another reminder of how damaging nature can be and how important it is to be ready for natural disasters.
