[ad_1]
Ōita: One of Japan’s strongest typhoons in decades slammed into southern regions on Thursday, bringing heavy rains, leaving one person missing and authorities warning of possible life-threatening flooding and landslides.Typhoon Shanshan struck Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu early Thursday with wind gusts of up to 252 kilometres per hour, making it the strongest storm this year and one of the strongest to make landfall since 1960.
The storm later weakened, with maximum gusts of 162 km/h at 5 p.m., but it still brought heavy rain to Kyushu and other areas as it slowly moved toward the main island of Honshu, the weather agency said.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that “the risk of disasters due to heavy rains in western Japan is likely to rise sharply as Friday approaches.”
Even before Typhoon Shanshan hit, heavy rainfall had hit much of Japan, with a landslide on Tuesday evening in Aichi Prefecture, about 1,000 kilometers from Kyushu, killing three members of the same family.
Authorities issued the highest alert in some areas, advising more than five million people to evacuate, but it was not immediately clear how many had gone.
People chat next to a fallen tree toppled by strong winds of Typhoon Shanshan in Usa, Oita Prefecture, on August 29, 2024. Typhoon Shanshan hit Japan with full force on August 29, shattering windows, blowing tiles off houses, and heavy rains that turned rivers into raging torrents, injuring dozens of people. (Photo: Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)
Kunisaki City in Oita Prefecture, Kyushu, warned residents to “evacuate to safe places or higher ground, such as the second floor of houses” because of the risk of flooding. One person was missing on Thursday – reportedly a man on a small boat – and two people were seriously injured, according to chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi.
Rains swirled rivers and strong winds shattered windows and blew tiles off roofs. Television images showed flooded roads and power lines being repaired.
The coastal city of Miyazaki was littered with debris from nearly 200 damaged buildings, and 25 people were reported injured, including some from the tornado.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said parts of Miyazaki Prefecture saw record rainfall for August, with Sanri-machi receiving 791.5 millimeters of rain in 48 hours.
Concerned student Aoi Nishimoto, 18, said he had called Miyazaki’s family to ask if they were safe.
“Our home is fine, but there was a tornado in Miyazaki and some places have lost power,” he said in Fukuoka, the main city of Kyushu.
“This year I left my parents’ house for the first time. So it was a little scary to be alone,” said 19-year-old classmate Rio Ohtsuru.
“Maybe I’ll get a flashlight in case the power goes out,” she said. Kyushu’s utility operator said 187,010 homes were without power elsewhere on the island.
Before Shanshan hit, Typhoon Ampir brought heavy rains, which suspended hundreds of flights and trains this month, but caused only minor casualties and property damage. –AFP
[ad_2]
Source link
