Typhoon Shanshan hit southwestern Japan on Thursday, killing three people. Fears about the storm prompted evacuations in several prefectures. Authorities said Shanshan could be one of the strongest typhoons to hit the region.
On Wednesday, the element It slowly moved near the island of Yaku-shima in the Ryuku archipelago. Shanshan struck the city of Satsumendai on Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu early Thursday morning. The typhoon, classified as “strong,” brought winds of up to 216 kilometers per hour and torrential rain.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at least three people had died in the typhoon. Local media reported at least 54 injured, two seriously. A search is underway for one person, a 60-year-old man, who fell from a small boat into the ocean.
Evacuation of population
Local media are warning that Shanshan could be the strongest typhoon ever to hit southwestern Japan. In the past 48 hours, as much as 800 liters of water per square meter have fallen in many areas. Fears of flooding, strong winds and the threat of landslides have prompted evacuations for millions of residents in several prefectures.
After the storm, more than 250,000 residents of Kyushu were left without electricity. Some 600 domestic flights were also canceled. Train traffic was suspended in many regions.
“I have never witnessed such powerful gusts of wind,” said one resident of the city of Miyazaki, where the typhoon damaged many buildings, uprooted trees and destroyed power grids.
The element moves on
According to meteorologists, Typhoon Shanshan is moving north at a speed of about 15 km/h. In the coming hours, heavy rain clouds may form over the Kyushu and Shikoku regions. Forecasts indicate that up to 400 l/sq m may fall from them.
Landslide alerts were issued for parts of Kyushu, Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku, and Shizuoka Prefecture in the Tokai region.
Reuters, The Japan Times, NHK
Main image source: Reuters