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Typhoon Shanshan hits Japan, tens of thousands of people asked to evacuate

Broadcast United News Desk
Typhoon Shanshan hits Japan, tens of thousands of people asked to evacuate

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in short:

(ABC – Australia) Japan’s strongest typhoon this year has hit the country’s southern islands, with authorities advising tens of thousands of people to evacuate.

Officials issued the highest level of storm and storm surge warnings for the main southern island of Kyushu.

What’s next?

More than 250,000 households in Kyushu were without power, and public services and business activities were suspended.

A typhoon struck southern Japan on Thursday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds that killed at least three people and began to spread across the archipelago, raising concerns about flooding, landslides and widespread damage.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said that Typhoon Shanshan made landfall near Satsumasendai City in southern Kyushu this morning, and rainfall in the area could reach 60 centimeters within 24 hours.

The agency issued its highest-level warning for the southern prefecture of Kyushu and said Shanshan was Japan’s strongest typhoon this year.

“Extreme caution is needed as strong winds, huge waves and high tides are forecast, which have not materialized so far,” Satoshi Sugimoto, the agency’s chief forecaster, told a news conference.

Kyushu’s utility operator said 254,610 households were without power.

Earlier, Kyodo News reported, citing local government officials, that a family of three was killed when a house in Gamagori City, central Aichi Prefecture, was buried by a landslide.

The dead included a couple in their 70s and a son in his 30s, as well as two adult daughters in their 40s who survived and were injured, the newspaper said.

Authorities issued evacuation orders for more than 800,000 residents in Kagoshima prefecture in southern Kyushu and Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures in central Japan.

On the southern island of Amami, where the typhoon passed, a motorcyclist was knocked down by gusts, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

As the typhoon slowly sweeps across the Japanese archipelago in the coming days, weather and government officials worry that it will cause widespread damage, possibly triggering floods and landslides and paralyzing transportation, commerce and daily activities.

Disaster Management Minister Yoshifumi Matsumura urged residents in Shanshan’s projected path to take precautions early, such as checking the nearest shelters to ensure safety.

Mr Matsumura also urged people, especially the elderly, not to hesitate and seek shelter immediately if they encounter any safety issues.

The government also canceled its annual earthquake drill scheduled for Sunday to free up resources for disaster relief.

Dozens of domestic flights connecting southwestern cities and islands will be canceled through Friday.

Japan Railways said most bullet train and local train services were running normally on Wednesday, but many trains on Kyushu island would be suspended on Thursday.

Similar measures may also be in place on the main island of Honshu until Sunday.

Postal and courier services have also been suspended in the Kyushu region, and supermarkets and other stores have announced plans to close early.

Typhoons in the region are forming closer to the coastline, intensifying faster over land and lasting longer due to climate change, according to a study released last month. AP/Reuters

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