General News

Emergency Warning Issued as Typhoon Shanshan Approaches Japan; Airlines Cancel Kyushu Flights

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:48 JST, August 28, 2024

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued an emergency warning for storms and high waves for Kagoshima Prefecture, excluding the Amami area, on Wednesday as the powerful Typhoon Shanshan approaches Japan.

The JMA may also issue a “heavy rain emergency warning” for torrential rains in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures.

The agency is calling for maximum caution. In Kagoshima Prefecture, an evacuation advisory was issued for about 118,000 households, or about 228,000 people.

The typhoon, also known as Typhoon No. 10, was located about 100 kilometers north-northeast of Amami, Kagoshima Prefecture, at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, with a central pressure of 935 hectopascals and a wind speed of 180 kph.

Categorized by the agency as “near violent,” the typhoon is moving slowly northwest and is expected to approach southern Kyushu on Thursday as it develops. The typhoon is then likely to hit Japan, according to the agency.

The typhoon continues to bring warm, moist air from the south to the archipelago, causing heavy rainfall in the Tokai and Tohoku regions.

The slow speed of the typhoon may prolong the effects of storms.

Southern Kyushu is expected to see 500 millimeters of precipitation in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. Thursday, while 300 millimeters is expected for northern Kyushu and the Amami region and 250 millimeters for Shikoku.

In the 24 hours to 6 a.m. on Friday, southern Kyushu is expected to see 600 millimeters of rainfall. Precipitation could reach 1,000 millimeters over the two days, the JMA said.

The maximum instantaneous wind speed in southern Kyushu and the Amami region is forecast to be 252 kph on Wednesday and Thursday.

The agency is calling for caution because the storm may be strong enough to collapse homes.

Due to the typhoon, Japan Airlines has decided to cancel 172 domestic flights, mainly to and from Kyushu, and six international flights on Wednesday and Thursday. All Nippon Airways also canceled 112 domestic flights for three days from Wednesday. More flights could be cancelled.