Japan is on high alert as Typhoon Shanshan approaches the southwest,
threatening severe weather across the country. The Japan Meteorological
Agency (JMA) has classified the storm as "very strong" and issued
emergency warnings, urging maximum caution.
Shanshan is expected to make landfall on Kyushu Island on Thursday,
29 August, with sustained winds of 180 km/h and gusts up to 252 km/h.
Heavy rainfall is forecasted, with southern Kyushu likely to receive up
to 600 millimetres of rain over the next 24 hours. This raises
significant concerns over potential landslides, flooding, and storm
surges.
In anticipation of the storm, authorities have issued evacuation
orders for over 800,000 residents in Kagoshima, Aichi, and Shizuoka
prefectures. The situation has already resulted in the collapse of a
house in Aichi, with two residents unaccounted for.
Typhoon Shanshan is also causing widespread disruption to
transportation and business operations. Toyota Motor has announced the
suspension of all operations at its 14 domestic plants from Wednesday
evening through Thursday morning. Both ANA Holdings and Japan Airlines
have cancelled hundreds of domestic flights, impacting thousands of
passengers. International flights and Shinkansen bullet train services
have also been affected, with more cancellations expected as the storm
progresses.
Postal and delivery services in the Kyushu region have been
suspended, and local businesses are closing early in preparation for the
storm.
The JMA advises residents in affected areas to stay informed and take
early precautionary measures as the typhoon approaches. The storm is
expected to weaken as it tracks northeast across Japan over the weekend.