Powerful Typhoon “Shanshan” makes landfall in Japan, forcing millions to evacuate

Typhoon “Shanshan” made landfall near Satsumasendai City in Kyushu, Japan on Thursday, August 29, 2024. The powerful storm, with wind gusts reaching 198 km/h (123 mph), triggered severe flooding and landslides, prompting evacuation orders affecting millions in southwestern Japan.

Typhoon “Shanshan” made landfall in southwestern Japan early Thursday morning, bringing strong winds, torrential rain, and landslides. The typhoon peaked as a Category 4 hurricane equivalent before making landfall at around 08:00 local time (LT) on Thursday.

Shanshan struck near Satsumasendai City on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s main islands, with wind gusts reaching up to 198 km/h (123 mph), according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Over the past 48 hours, some areas have been hit with more than 700 mm (27.5 inches) of rain. Some areas could still see 1 000 mm (39 inches) of rain over the next couple of days, according to the JMA.

The storm’s impact led to the closure of factories and the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Authorities issued evacuation orders for 5.2 million people across several prefectures, warning that this could be one of the strongest storms to hit the region in recent years.

At least three people were killed as Shanshan approached Japan on August 28 when a landslide in Gamagori City, central Japan, buried a home.

A total of 74 people were injured, and one person remains missing as of Thursday evening (LT), with reports of injuries from broken glass, collapsed walls, and flying debris. A man in his 60s fell into the sea in Kagoshima City and remains missing.

In Miyazaki City, over 160 buildings were damaged, including 69 residential properties and 35 commercial structures, according to Japan Times.

The storm left around 236 000 households without power late Thursday (LT), with Kyushu Electric Power Co. reporting that seven prefectures were affected. Search and rescue operations are ongoing but have been temporarily suspended in some areas.

A level 4 evacuation order is currently in place for parts of Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Oita, Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Ehime, Aichi, Gifu, Shizuoka, and Mie due to the risk of heavy rainfall, flooding, or landslides. The maximum strength of the orders is level 5.

The typhoon also disrupted transportation and daily activities across the region. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled flights, and rail services, including the Shinkansen network, were suspended across Kyushu and other parts of western Japan.

Airlines, including ANA Holdings and Japan Airlines, have already announced the cancellation of more than 600 domestic flights.

The JMA issued emergency warnings for Kagoshima Prefecture on Wednesday, indicating the potential for a large-scale disaster, although these warnings were later downgraded. Despite weakening, the storm continues to pose a risk of landslides and floods as it moves slowly northward.

Toyota paused production at its factories, extending the suspension through Friday, August 30, to ensure worker safety. The typhoon is expected to approach central and eastern Japan, including Tokyo, in the coming days.

The current forecast track takes Shanshan northeastward then eastward along the edge of a shallower reflection of a receding steering STR, and mostly over land as it drags across the islands of Kyushu into Shikoku, and Honshu, according to the JTWC.

The highly unfavorable environment will rapidly erode the system to dissipation by 09:00 UTC on September 1. However, there is a possibility, as indicated by a few numerical track models, that the system will make a tight U-turn back into the Pacific Ocean and re-intensify.

References:

¹ Typhoon Shanshan causing damage in Kyushu – NHK – August 29, 2024

² Typhoon Shanshan hits Japan’s Kyushu; millions evacuated, flights halted – Reuters – August 29, 2024

³ Typhoon Shanshan latest: Three dead and 600 flights cancelled as powerful storm makes landfall in Japan – Independent – August 29, 2024

⁴ Typhoon Shanshan Lashes Southern Japan as It Moves Inland – The New York Times – August 29, 2024

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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