A Typhoon Near Japan
Currently, the typhoon — coined Typhoon Shanshan — was off the southern island of Yakushima about 75 miles away.
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The typhoon will soon hit the southwest of Japan, as it is heading north toward Kyushu.
Violent Winds
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has released alerts about this potentially devastating typhoon, as Shanshan is said to have maximum winds that could hit 112 miles per hour.
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Because of these destructive winds, residents in the path of this typhoon have been told to take shelter and be aware of what the next days may hold.
Japan Is Already Being Affected
Before the typhoon has even hit the country, Japan has made many moves to prepare for what could be an extreme weather event.
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As a result, the country has canceled many airline flights. Businesses have closed, and these closures will likely last into the weekend. Meanwhile, some areas in high-risk regions of the country have been evacuated.
Transportation Cancellations
Many flights have been delayed or canceled outright, as airlines are preparing for this typhoon to hit.
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However, Japan Railway companies have also explained that while their trains and transportation services are still running normally right now, they will likely be canceled on Thursday and into the weekend.
Store Closures
Meanwhile, various businesses have also come out to state that they will soon close — and stay closed until the weekend.
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As a result, various supermarkets and grocery stores have begun to shut down as the typhoon nears the south of Japan.
Analyzing the Typhoon
According to the JMA, this typhoon’s current path will lead it to hit southern Japan, mainly southern Kyushu. They believe it will officially make landfall this Thursday.
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The agency has also clarified that residents in these regions may see very heavy rain, very dangerous winds, and incredibly high waves. Therefore, high-level alerts and warnings have been issued in this region.
A Possible Flooding Event
The JMA has also anticipated that this typhoon’s heavy rainfall will lead to 23.6 inches of rain being seen in southern Kyushu in only 24 hours.
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As a result of this forecast, many authorities have worried that Japan could have an extreme flooding event on its hands. Severe landslides could also occur.
Taking Shelter
Experts and officials have also warned many residents in these high-risk regions to take shelter, or to head to the nearest shelters being set up for the community.
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Specifically, officials are explaining that older adults should seek out shelter if they’re worried about their safety.
A Difficult Typhoon to Predict
Weather experts in Japan have further explained that while they anticipate high winds and heavy rainfall, they cannot predict much else about this typhoon.
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Therefore, they’re warning the public to be aware of any last-minute weather updates as they track this ferocious storm.
A Category Four Storm
Making matters even worse, experts have recently raised this typhoon to a Category 4 storm — the second-highest typhoon on the scale.
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This difficult-to-predict typhoon also appears to be quite slow-moving, which could make its landfall in Japan even more devastating.
The Ring of Fire
Japan lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which results in the country experiencing an awful lot of natural disasters, such as earthquakes and volcano eruptions.
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Most recently, Japan experienced an earthquake which set off an alert that a megaquake could soon occur. However, these megaquake fears eventually died down.