Typhoon Shanshan, Japan’s 10th typhoon of the year, has caused significant disruptions and damage across the country. On Thursday, the storm made landfall on Kyushu, Japan’s third-largest island, bringing torrential rain and strong winds. At least three people have died due to the storm, including casualties from a landslide in Gamagori, as per reports. The typhoon has injured at least 70 people and damaged dozens of buildings.
As Typhoon Shanshan continues to move toward the island of Shikoku, it has been recorded with wind speeds of up to 50 mph, according to Zoom Earth satellite data. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has noted that predicting the storm’s impact remains challenging due to the varying strength of the typhoon across different regions.
The storm caused a frightening incident at Fukuoka Airport, where strong winds blew an airplane off course as it attempted to land. The aircraft had to abort its landing due to the intense conditions. Footage of the incident shows the plane struggling against the winds, swaying from side to side before it eventually aborted the landing and ascended again. This video has been widely viewed, illustrating the typhoon’s dangerous conditions.
Video captures Jeju Air 737 battling strong winds from Typhoon Shanshan during aborted landing in Fukuoka.
Flight 1408 from South Korea landed safely on another runway moments later.
Typhoon Shanshan slammed into Japan on Thursday, injuring dozens as howling winds smashed… pic.twitter.com/5mKw2jGyhi
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) August 29, 2024
As a precaution, dozens of flights have been cancelled through Friday, and many bullet trains and local train services have been suspended, particularly on Honshu, Japan’s main island. At its peak, Typhoon Shanshan’s winds reached 130 mph, prompting the JMA to issue rare weather-related warnings for various regions, including advisories for storms, landslides, and heavy rain. In the Kagoshima region, the storm’s intensity led the JMA to warn that it could be strong enough to destroy houses. However, the storm is expected to weaken as it continues its path.