Typhoon Shanshan hit Kyushu island in Japan on Thursday, causing widespread disruptions to flights and trains. The storm has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, but authorities are still warning of possible landslides due to heavy rain. At its peak, Shanshan was one of the strongest typhoons to hit Japan in decades, with wind speeds reaching 252kmh, but it has since slowed down to 90kmh.
The typhoon has resulted in the deaths of at least six people and injuries to over 120 individuals, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. ANA and Japan Airlines had to cancel around 60 domestic flights on Saturday, affecting nearly 7,200 passengers. Additionally, bullet trains in Nagoya were suspended due to the storm. The Japan Meteorological Agency has urged residents to remain vigilant for possible landslides, flooding, and overflowing rivers.
In response to the threat of landslides and heavy rain, a city in the Gifu region issued a top evacuation warning to its 2,000 residents near an overflowing river. Heavy rain has also been observed in some cities in northern Hokkaido, exacerbating the risk of flooding. More than 32,000 households in the southern Kagoshima region, where Shanshan made landfall, are still without power as a result of the storm. The impacts of the typhoon highlight the growing risks associated with climate change, particularly in terms of heavier rainfall that can lead to disasters like landslides and flooding.
Scientists have noted that climate change is causing an increase in heavy rain events in Japan and other regions, as a warmer atmosphere can hold more water. In recent years, the country has experienced devastating natural disasters like the 2021 landslide in Atami that killed 27 people. In 2018, floods and landslides claimed the lives of more than 200 individuals in western Japan during the rainy season. These events underscore the urgent need for countries to address climate change and its impacts on extreme weather events to protect vulnerable populations and reduce the risk of future disasters.
