Typhoon Shanshan hits Japan with heavy rain and strong winds

Motoki Tanimura, who is on a business trip, is worried about getting back home to Osaka because the storm’s path keeps changing.

“This typhoon’s path keeps changing, making it unpredictable, so it’s hard to get updates on the transportation situation. I’m planning to return on Saturday, but I’m not sure if I can make it,” she said.

Farmland along a river is flooded by heavy rains caused by a typhoon in Yufu, Oita prefecture, western Japan. (AP photo)

The storm has already caused three deaths and injured 78 people.

Shanshan has brought winds strong enough to overturn trucks, reaching speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour (112 mph). As of Friday morning, the typhoon was near Kunisaki in Oita Prefecture and moving slowly northeast, which could lead to more heavy rain.

About 125,000 households in seven prefectures across Kyushu are without power. Evacuation notices have been issued to millions of people in Kyushu and also in other areas like Yokohama near Tokyo, where there is a risk of landslides.

Roof tiles are seen scattered by strong winds of a typhoon at a residential area in Miyazaki, western Japan. (AP photo)

The storm has also disrupted transportation and industry. Toyota, Nissan, and Honda have stopped some factory operations, and several semiconductor companies have also paused production.

Airlines, including ANA and Japan Airlines, have canceled hundreds of flights, and many train, bus, and ferry services in Kyushu are halted.

Typhoon Shanshan is the latest severe weather event to hit Japan, following Typhoon Ampil earlier this month.

The storm is expected to move towards central and eastern Japan, including Tokyo, over the weekend. Authorities are closely watching its progress.

(With inputs from Reuters)