Typhoon Shanshan, moving slowly eastward through Japan on Saturday, has resulted in the deaths of at least six people. The storm brought heavy rain, causing landslides and floods in areas far from its center.
In footage aired by national broadcaster NHK, homes in southwestern Japan were shown with roofs partially torn off, and cars were seen driving through deep floodwaters. The typhoon made landfall in Kyushu on Thursday, delivering record-breaking rainfall.
According to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency, one person is currently missing, and over 100 people have been injured. Additionally, more than 35,000 homes in Kagoshima prefecture, located in southern Kyushu, are without power, as reported by Kyushu Electric.
By 01:00 p.m. on Saturday, Shanshan was situated in the Pacific Ocean, around 480 km (300 miles) southwest of Tokyo. Despite being downgraded to a tropical storm on Friday, it continued to produce strong winds, reaching speeds of up to 25 meters per second (90 kph, 55 mph). The storm also caused heavy rain as far north as Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost prefecture.
Authorities across Japan have issued warnings for floods and landslides since the storm’s arrival. As a precaution, air and rail services have been suspended, and several factories have been shut down.
NHK reported that the storm is expected to weaken to a tropical depression over the weekend, but it will likely continue to bring heavy rain.
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