In 2019 Typhoon Hagibis killed more than 100 people – “The wind will be so strong that some houses may collapse”.
Residents in southwestern Japan are bracing for the powerful typhoon Nanmandol, with authorities advising nearly 3 million people to evacuate the area.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued an “emergency warning” for Kagoshima Prefecture, in the southern part of the island of Kyushu, warning residents that there is an increased risk of strong storms.
More than 8,500 people have been rushed to shelters, tens of thousands of households in Kagoshima and neighboring Miyazaki prefecture are without electricity, and regional train and ferry services have been cancelled.
The JMA warned that the region could face “unprecedented danger” due to strong winds, large waves and torrential rain.
“Maximum caution is required,” said Ryuta Kurora, head of the JMA’s forecasting service, on Saturday. “This hurricane is very dangerous.” “The wind will be so strong that some houses may collapse,” he added, warning of floods and landslides.
A few hastily edited shots from #typhoon #Nanmadol as it crashed ashore in Kagoshima prefecture #japan today – now I must sleep! pic.twitter.com/IHVJRjubeg
— James Reynolds (@EarthUncutTV) September 18, 2022
Kurora urged local residents to leave before the worst happens and stressed that even residents of sturdy buildings should take precautions.
“Don’t go near the windows”
“Be in strong buildings before strong winds start and don’t approach windows even from inside them,” he stressed during an overnight press conference.
High-speed trains were suspended in the region this morning and state broadcaster NHK reported that at least 510 flights had been cancelled.
At 09:00 (local time, 03:00 Greece time) the typhoon was within 80 kilometers of the small island of Yakushima, with sustained winds of 252 kilometers per hour. It is expected to reach Kyushu this evening, before turning northeast and hitting Japan’s main island of Honshu by Wednesday morning.
#Typhoon #Nanmadol has made landfall over the island of #Kyushuwith very strong, destructive winds and locally heavy rainfall.pic.twitter.com/n7ctyV3vEK
— Joint Cyclone Center (@JointCyclone) September 18, 2022
Typhoon season reaches its peak in Japan from August to September, with heavy rains that can cause flash floods and deadly landslides.
In 2019, Typhoon Hagibis killed more than 100 people in Japan. A year earlier Kansai Airport in Osaka was closed and 14 people died due to typhoon Jebi. In 2018, floods and landslides killed more than 200 people in western Japan.
Scientists estimate that climate change is causing more intense storms and extreme weather events.
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