Typhoon Shanshan causes widespread Japan disruption

Typhoon Shanshan has caused significant disruption across Japan, marking one of the most powerful storms to impact the nation in recent decades. On August 29, 2024, strong winds and heavy rain struck the city of Miyazaki in the south-western part of the country. As a result of the storm, numerous flights and train services were cancelled, leaving many travelers stranded. Tragically, at least six people have lost their lives, and over 100 individuals have sustained injuries since the typhoon made landfall. Although the storm has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, it continues to produce winds reaching 90 kilometers per hour, leaving thousands without electricity. A severe weather warning was issued for millions of residents in the southern island of Kyushu as the storm approached, with wind speeds previously recorded at an astonishing 252 kilometers per hour. After making landfall, the typhoon weakened but is still moving north-east, bringing with it the potential for up to 300 millimeters of rainfall in certain areas over the next 24 hours. Residents in the affected regions have been cautioned about the risks of landslides, flooding, and extensive damage to property. The aftermath of Typhoon Shanshan has left a visible trail of destruction, with many buildings suffering damage from flying debris, uprooted trees, and vehicles overturned or submerged in floodwaters. Heavy rain continued to fall in Gifu and Mie prefectures, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to urge citizens to remain vigilant against landslides, flooding, and overflowing rivers. A resident in Tokyo expressed their surprise, stating, 'This is the first time I saw a typhoon sweeping across all of Japan. ' They noted that typically, typhoons move north from Okinawa, and they did not expect such a powerful storm to affect the entire country. Major airlines, including All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, have cancelled numerous domestic flights, and bullet train services between Tokyo and Osaka have also been disrupted. The Shinkansen bullet trains in the central city of Nagoya were suspended, with warnings that more services could be halted. A map of the predicted path of Typhoon Shanshan indicates that it will continue to travel northwest across Japan for the next few days, with forecasts suggesting it will be just south of Osaka by Sunday afternoon. In Japan, special typhoon warnings are issued for exceptionally powerful storms like Shanshan. A similar warning was declared in September 2022 for a different storm, marking the first time such a warning was issued for a region outside of Okinawa. Recent studies have shown that typhoons in the region are forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly, and lasting longer over land due to climate change.