Millions told to evacuate as typhoon crashes into Japan

At least three people have died after a powerful storm hit southern Japan yesterday, while at least five million have been ordered to evacuate and hundreds of flights have been cancelled across the country.

- STUTI MISHRA

Shanshan made landfall on the southwestern island of Kyushu early yesterday morning as a typhoon, bringing winds gusting up to almost 200kmph (124mph). The local authorities had already shut down large parts of the island, warning that the storm could be one of the strongest ever to hit the region.

Although it weakened throughout the day into a tropical storm, it continued to bring strong winds, high waves, and very high volumes of rainfall as it moved towards the northeast. The storm’s path is largely tracking the main islands of Japan, meaning it is expected to bring significant disruption to Tokyo over the weekend.

Miyazaki prefecture, part of Kyushu, saw nearly 2ft of rain, causing rivers to swell and increasing the risk of floods, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The total amount of rainfall in 24 hours was more than the region’s average for all of August.