Japan’s Typhoon Shanshan claims 4 lives, lead to widespread unrest

(MENAFN) Typhoon Shanshan has wreaked havoc across Japan, claiming at least four lives and forcing major manufacturers to halt production as the storm delivered heavy rains to vast regions of the country. The typhoon, described by authorities as potentially one of the strongest ever to hit Japan, brought winds reaching up to 180 kilometers per hour and made landfall near Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture before moving eastward. The disaster has triggered evacuation notices for over 3.3 million residents, particularly in the heavily affected Kyushu region and areas in eastern and central Japan, including Tokyo and Yokohama.

The severe weather conditions have led to significant disruptions in transportation services, with airlines canceling hundreds of domestic and international flights. Additionally, numerous train, bus, and ferry services have been suspended, especially in Kyushu. Power outages have affected approximately 250,000 homes across seven prefectures in Kyushu, though efforts to restore electricity are ongoing. In response to the storm, Toyota has temporarily shut down all its domestic plants, and other major automakers such as Nissan and Honda, along with semiconductor firms like Renesas, Tokyo Electron, and Rohm, have announced temporary production stoppages at some of their facilities.

The Meteorological Agency has warned that the storm is expected to approach central and eastern Japan, including Tokyo, in the coming days, with continued severe weather anticipated throughout early and mid-week. 

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