TOKYO, Aug 28 (Reuters) – Southwestern Japan braced on Wednesday for what officials said could be one of the strongest storms ever to hit the region, with some residents in Typhoon Shanshan’s path ordered to evacuate and major companies such as Toyota shutting down.Opens a new tab Closed factories.
Airlines and railways have cancelled some services for the coming days as the typhoon, rated “extremely strong”, approaches the main southwestern island of Kyushu with gusts of up to 70 metres per second (252 kilometres per hour/157 mph).
The weather agency issued an emergency warning, saying the typhoon could bring flooding, landslides and winds strong enough to destroy some homes.
“Ultimate caution is required as strong winds, high waves and high tides are forecast, which we have not seen so far,” Satoshi Sugimoto, the agency’s chief meteorologist, told a news conference.
The agency said the storm, which hit Kyushu over the next few days, is expected to approach central and eastern regions, including the capital Tokyo, over the weekend.
Authorities have issued evacuation orders for more than 800,000 residents of Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Kyushu and Aichi and Shizuoka Prefectures in central Japan.
Item 1 of 3 High waves are seen along the beach as Typhoon Shanshan approaches southwestern Japan in Makurazaki, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, August 28, 2024, in this photo by Kyodo News. Copyright Kyodo/via Reuters
[1/3]High waves are seen along the beach as Typhoon Shanshan approaches southwestern Japan in Makurazaki, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, Aug. 28, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo News. Copyright Kyodo/via Reuters Buy License rightsOpens a new tab
In Aichi, where Toyota is headquartered, two people believed to be residents of a house that collapsed in a landslide during heavy rains have not been found. Three residents of the house have been pulled out, according to public broadcaster NHK.
Toyota said it will suspend operations at all 14 of its plants in Japan from Wednesday evening until Thursday morning.Opens a new tab Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co. said it will suspend operations at its Kyushu plant on Thursday and Friday mornings, while Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor Co. said it will suspend operations at its Kyushu plant on Thursday and Friday mornings.Opens a new tab The company will also temporarily close its plant in Kumamoto in southwestern Kyushu.
Mazda Motor Corporation (7261.T)Opens a new tab The Japanese automaker said it plans to suspend operations at its plants in Hiroshima and Hofu, both in western Japan, from Thursday evening through Friday.
Typhoon Shanshan is the latest severe weather system to hit Japan after Typhoon Ampil last week, which also led to power outages and evacuations.
ANA Holding Company (9202.T)Opens a new tab Japan Airlines said it will cancel more than 210 domestic flights in total between Wednesday and Friday scheduled to depart or arrive in southwestern Japan, affecting about 18,400 passengers.
Japan Airlines (9201.T)Opens a new tab The company said it would cancel 402 domestic flights over the same three-day period. A total of 10 international flights operated by both airlines would also be suspended.
