3 dead, 80 injured in 7 prefectures as typhoon hits southwest Japan

Typhoon Shanshan made landfall on Japan's southwestern main island of Kyushu on Thursday, the weather agency said, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that left at least 80 people injured across the island's seven prefectures and three people dead in central Japan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents in affected areas to remain on high alert for natural disasters, while public transport operators canceled trains and flights, and some homes were left without power as the storm advanced.

Central Japan Railway said Thursday evening it will halt all Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train services for the rest of the day as a rain gauge installed along the route continues to exceed the regulatory threshold.

Kyushu Railway, which already suspended part of its shinkansen bullet train operations Wednesday night, said service disruptions would continue through Friday due to the slow-moving nature of the typhoon.

Sanyo Shinkansen bullet trains will also be canceled throughout Friday on the section from Hakata in northern Kyushu to Hiroshima in western Japan, West Japan Railway said.

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways said some flights to and from regional airports will also be canceled Friday.

The typhoon made landfall near Satsumasendai in Kagoshima Prefecture around 8 a.m. A rare special typhoon warning issued for most parts of the prefecture was downgraded at 10:30 a.m.

At 8 p.m., it was located near the city of Shimabara in Nagasaki Prefecture and was moving slowly north-northeast with winds of up to 162 kilometers per hour, the agency said. It had an atmospheric pressure of 985 hectopascals at its center.

In central Japan's Aichi Prefecture, the city office of Gamagori confirmed that three people died and two others were injured when a landslide hit their house after heavy rain brought by the typhoon.

Over 260,000 residences in the Kyushu region's seven prefectures temporarily lost power, Kyushu Electric Power Co. said. Some landlines in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures were also temporarily disrupted, but service was restored by around 2 p.m., according to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corp.

Major automakers said they would suspend operations at some of their factories Thursday, primarily in areas affected by the typhoon. Toyota Motor Corp. said 14 of its plants will be halted until Friday.

Store and restaurant operations were also affected, with Seven-Eleven Japan Co. and two other major convenience store chains shutting about 900 of their outlets in Kyushu, while McDonald's Co. (Japan) closed 98.

Residents in typhoon-hit areas have been warned to prepare for strong winds and dangerous waves, with the weather agency urging people to be ready to evacuate before conditions worsen.

As much as 600 millimeters of rain over 24 hours was forecast in some areas of Kyushu. The storm's sluggish pace could increase the danger, as strong winds and heavy rains could linger in some areas for prolonged periods, the agency said.

Special typhoon warnings are declared in cases of extraordinarily powerful storm systems. As Typhoon Nanmadol approached in 2022, a special warning was issued for Kagoshima Prefecture, the first in the country for an area other than Okinawa.

3 dead, 80 injured in 7 prefectures as typhoon hits southwest Japan

3 dead, 80 injured in 7 prefectures as typhoon hits southwest Japan

3 dead, 80 injured in 7 prefectures as typhoon hits southwest Japan

3 dead, 80 injured in 7 prefectures as typhoon hits southwest Japan

3 dead, 80 injured in 7 prefectures as typhoon hits southwest Japan