Typhoon Shanshan: Japan Grapples with Widespread Disruption and Devastation

Saturday 31 August 2024 - 12:25

Trains and flights have been cancelled across Japan as Typhoon Shanshan, one of the strongest storms to hit the country in decades, wreaks havoc on cities in its path. The typhoon made landfall in south-western Japan on Thursday, resulting in at least six fatalities and over 100 injuries.

Now downgraded to a tropical storm, Shanshan continues to batter the country with winds of up to 90km/h (56mph). Thousands of residents remain without power, and the storm is expected to bring up to 300mm (12in) of rainfall in some areas over the next 24 hours.

The highest level-five order was issued to millions of residents in the southern island of Kyushu as the storm approached, with winds reaching up to 252 km/h. Despite weakening to a severe tropical storm after making landfall, Shanshan is still causing significant damage as it moves north-east.

Residents of the affected areas have been warned of potential landslides, flooding, and large-scale destruction. The typhoon's path is marked by damaged buildings, uprooted trees, and cars overturned or submerged in floodwaters.

Heavy rain continues to fall in Gifu and Mie prefectures, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to urge residents to remain vigilant for landslides, flooding, and overflowing rivers.

"This is the first time I saw a typhoon sweeping across all of Japan," a resident in the capital, Tokyo, told Reuters news agency. "Typhoons are supposed to go north from Okinawa. So, I didn't expect it to be like this. I'm very surprised."

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines have cancelled dozens of domestic flights, while bullet train services between Tokyo and Osaka have been affected throughout Saturday and Sunday. Shinkansen bullet trains in the central city of Nagoya were also suspended, with warnings that more services could be halted.

Special typhoon warnings, like the one issued for Shanshan, are declared in Japan for extraordinarily powerful storms. The same warning was issued in September 2022 as Typhoon Nanmadol approached Kyushu, marking the first such warning for a region other than Okinawa.

A recent study suggests that typhoons in the region are forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly, and lasting longer over land due to climate change. This trend underscores the increasing severity and unpredictability of these storms.

As Typhoon Shanshan continues its destructive path, Japan faces the daunting task of recovery and preparation for future storms, which are likely to be exacerbated by ongoing climate change.