Tokyo is on high alert as the deadly Tropical Storm Shanshan approaches, bringing with it destructive winds and heavy rains. The storm, which initially made landfall as a powerful typhoon on Thursday, has already claimed six lives and left many injured in the country’s southwest.
The storm’s slow northward journey has prompted widespread evacuations in Tokyo, with tens of thousands of residents urged to seek safer ground. The devastation caused by Shanshan is one of the most severe to hit the southwest in decades. Among the fatalities are an 80-year-old man and another man killed when his roof collapsed. Additionally, three individuals succumbed to landslides triggered by the torrential rainfall.
Shanshan, moving at a sluggish pace of 10 km/h, is predicted to reach Tokyo by the weekend. As of Friday morning, the storm was situated near Kunisaki in Oita Prefecture, boasting maximum sustained winds of 72 km/h and gusts reaching up to 108 km/h.
Several regions have already experienced unprecedented rainfall, raising serious concerns about potential flooding as major rivers overflow. The Meguro, Nogawa, and Sengawa rivers in Tokyo are currently under a Level 4 alert issued by the meteorological agency, indicating an imminent danger.
The storm has also disrupted various train services, leaving many commuters stranded. Numerous cities across Japan remain on high alert as the emergency situation continues to unfold.
