Written By Lisa Murimi
At least four people were killed, and 94 others injured as Typhoon Shanshan lashed Japan with fierce winds and torrential rain on Thursday.
The storm made landfall near Satsumasendai in Kagoshima Prefecture early in the morning, bringing sustained wind speeds of up to 144 kph and gusts reaching 216 kph.
Despite weakening into a severe tropical storm later in the day, Shanshan continued to wreak havoc across western and eastern Japan, leading to widespread flooding, landslides, and significant disruptions to transportation networks.
Kyushu, particularly, bore the brunt, with power outages affecting over 150,000 households, including 134,000 in Kagoshima alone.
Authorities issued Level 5 emergency warnings—the highest alert—in Oita and Miyazaki prefectures as rivers overflowed, threatening thousands of residents.
Meanwhile, the government’s disaster response team, under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, urged swift action to safeguard lives.
Shanshan’s impact has also grounded nearly 800 domestic flights, while train services, including the Shinkansen, faced major suspensions.
As the storm slowly moves northeast, Japan braces for continued heavy rain, with the risk of further damage remaining high.
