Farmland along a river is flooded by heavy rains caused by a typhoon in Yufu, Oita prefecture, western Japan, on August 29, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

A typhoon lashed southern Japan with torrential rain and strong winds on Thursday (August 29, 2024), causing at least three deaths as it started a crawl up the length of the archipelago and raised concerns of flooding, landslips and extensive damage.

“Typhoon Shanshan made landfall in the morning on the southern island of Kyushu and about 60 centimetres (nearly 2 ft) of rainfall had fallen in parts of Miyazaki prefecture,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said. “That 24-hour total was more than the August rainfall average and swollen rivers were threatening floods,” it said.

The typhoon ripped through downtown Miyazaki City, knocking down trees, throwing cars to the side in parking lots and shattering windows of some buildings. The prefectural disaster management task force said 40 buildings were damaged.

Footage on NHK public television showed the swollen river in a popular hot spring town of Yufu in Oita prefecture, just north of Miyazaki, with muddy water splashing against the bridge over it.

“The typhoon was forecast to bring strong winds, high waves and significant rainfall to most of the country, particularly the southern prefectures of Kyushu. Around midday, Shanshan was moving north at 15 kph (9 mph) and its winds had weakened to 126 kph (78 mph),” JMA said.

“More than a dozen people were injured in Miyazaki, many of them thrown to the ground. One each was also injured nearby Kumamoto and Kagoshima prefectures on their way to shelters,” the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

“Nearly a quarter million households were without power across Kyushu, most of them in the Kagoshima prefecture,” the Kyushu Electric Power Co. said.

Ahead of the typhoon’s arrival, heavy rain caused a landslip that buried a house in the central city of Gamagori, killing three residents and injuring two others, according to the city’s disaster management department. “On the southern island of Amami, where the typhoon passed, one person was injured by being knocked down by a wind gust while riding a motorcycle,” the FDMA said.

Weather and government officials are concerned about extensive damage as the typhoon slowly sweeps up the Japanese archipelago over the next few days, threatening floods and landslips. The typhoon’s impact was yet to be felt in the Tokyo region, where business was as usual and heavy rain was predicted later this week.

Disaster Management Minister Yoshifumi Matsumura said the typhoon could cause “unprecedented” levels of violent winds, high waves, storm surges and heavy rain. At a task force meeting on Wednesday (August 28, 2024) he urged people, especially older adults, not to hesitate and to take shelter whenever there is any safety concern.

Hundreds of domestic flights connecting southwestern cities and islands were cancelled on Thursday, and bullet trains and some local train services were suspended. Similar steps were taken on Thursday in parts of the main island of Honshu that were experiencing heavy rain. Postal and delivery services have been also suspended in the Kyushu region, and supermarkets and other stores planned to close.

High waves are observed along the shore as Typhoon Shanshan approaches southwestern Japan in Ibusuki, Kagoshima Prefecture, August 28, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo.
| Photo Credit: Kyodo/via Reuters

A typhoon moving at bicycle speed began dumping rain on southern Japan on a path that will bring strong winds, high waves and significant rainfall to most of the country, prompting weather officials to issue the highest-level warnings Wednesday (August 28, 2024).

Three people were injured, and three others were missing due to a storm-related landslide and driving accident.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said Typhoon Shanshan is expected to reach southern Kyushu and possibly make landfall Thursday (August 29, 2024), and issued the highest-level warning for violent winds, high waves and heavy rain for the Kagoshima prefecture, as well as an emergency storm surge warning. It forecast up to 60 cm (23.6 inches) of rainfall in 24 hours for southern Kyushu.

Shanshan was about 120 km (75 miles) south of the southern island of Yakushima on Wednesday (August 28, 2024) morning as it headed north toward Kyushu, packing winds of up to 180 km (112 miles) per hour, according to the agency.

The warm, humid air around the typhoon and a separate high-pressure system caused heavy rain in the central Japanese city of Gamagori, where a landslide buried a house with five people inside. Two of them were rescued alive and workers were searching for the other three, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

“On the southern island of Amami, where the typhoon passed, one person was knocked down by a gust while riding a motorcycle,” the FDMA said.

Weather and government officials are concerned about extensive nationwide damage as the typhoon slowly sweeps up the Japanese archipelago over the next few days, threatening floods and landslides and paralysing transportation, businesses and other daily activity.

Disaster Management Minister Yoshifumi Matsumura, at a taskforce meeting Wednesday (August 28, 2024), said the typhoon could cause “unprecedented” levels of violent winds, high waves, storm surges and heavy rain.

He urged residents in Shanshan’s predicted path to take precautionary measures early, such as by checking their nearest shelters, to save their own lives. Mr. Matsumura urged residents, especially older adults, not to hesitate and take shelter whenever there is any safety concern. The government also cancelled its annual earthquake drills Sunday (August 28, 2024) to free up disaster response resources.

Dozens of domestic flights connecting southwestern cities and islands will be cancelled through Friday (August 23, 2024). Japan Railway companies said most bullet trains and local train services were operating normally Wednesday (August 28, 2024), but many on Kyushu would be suspended Thursday (August 29, 2024). Similar steps may be taken on the main island of Honshu through Sunday (September 1, 2024).

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