A robust tropical storm unleashed its fury upon central and western Japan on Tuesday, drenching the region with torrential rains and gusty winds. This onslaught led to widespread flooding, power outages, and a virtual standstill of both air and land travel, precisely when a significant number of individuals were embarking on a Buddhist holiday week.
Originally a potent Typhoon Lan, the storm weakened upon dawn and made landfall near Cape Shionomisaki in Wakayama, centrally located in the country, as reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). By Tuesday afternoon, its center hovered just south of Fukuchiyama city, accompanied by sustained winds reaching up to 90 kph (55 mph), while its trajectory pointed north. The JMA anticipated a subsequent eastward turn towards Hokkaido, traversing the waters straddling Japan and the Korean Peninsula.
Numerous reports emerged of injuries sustained by residents in the storm’s path, particularly affecting elderly individuals in five prefectures—Hyogo, Osaka, Kyoto, Shiga, and Wakayama. The onslaught triggered overflowing rivers, structural damages, and disrupted transportation networks. Notably, flooding invaded homes in Maizuru, causing muddy waters to seep in. In Nara, scaffolding crumbled on a building, and a partial train station wall collapse in Tsuruhashi halted local rail services.
Safety advisories prompted over 230,000 residents to seek refuge in more secure structures, such as community centers. The Tokai region in central Japan braced for up to 35 centimeters (13.7 inches) of precipitation until Wednesday morning. The JMA urged locals to minimize unnecessary outings while emphasizing the imminent risks of mudslides, inundations, and thunderstorms.
At its peak, more than 50,000 households across nine prefectures in the central and western regions were plunged into darkness, although power was reinstated for 75% of them by late afternoon. This ferocious storm struck amid the Bon Buddhist holiday week, significantly impacting travel plans as transportation and event services along its projected route suspended operations through Tuesday. The repercussions were felt deeply in the realm of transportation, with Central Japan Railway Co. halting Shinkansen bullet train operations between Nagoya and Okayama and reducing services between Tokyo and Nagoya. Regional expressways shut down, and hundreds of domestic flights on Tuesday were promptly canceled.