Typhoon Shanshan has barraged several parts of Japan with heavy rains on Friday, and warnings for flooding and landslides hundreds of miles from the storm’s centre have been sounded, disrupting travel services and halting production at major factories.
According to the disaster management agency, at least three people have been killed and 78 others, injured in storm-related incidents in recent days,
The typhoon was near the coastal city of Kunisaki in Oita Prefecture at 8:45 a.m. (23:45 GMT), bringing gusts of up to 50 metres per second (180 km per hour/112 mph), strong enough to blow over moving trucks and is now moving northeast, according to authorities.
The warm and moist air flowing around the typhoon have also brought heavy rains in areas far from the main body, which authorities have said is concerning given its slower than expected movement across the country.
Notices warning residents to be ready to evacuate have been issued to over 4 million people across the country, mainly in the hard-hit Kyushu area but as far as the capital city, Tokyo and nearby Yokohama.
The Yokohama authorities have said that there were risks of landslides in some areas due to heavy rain.
The Airlines in the country, including ANA Holdings and Japan Airlines, have cancelled hundreds of domestic and some international flights.
The ferry and rail services were not left out as they suspended the bullet train service between Tokyo and the central city of Nagoya on Friday morning.
