A powerful storm has struck several prefectures of Japan with winds of 130km/h (80.8mph) and gusts up to 194 km/h, prompting millions of people to flee. Nearly two million people are under evacuation orders, and officials have issued warnings of an imminent threat to life in parts of the country.
A warning of an “imminent threat to life,” was put out by the Japan Meteorological Agency, but several other warnings have since been reduced or taken down. The danger to life warning is still in force in Oshima Town, while level three warnings for heavy rain and level four warnings for landslides have been lowered or removed in most areas.
The Scale of the Evacuation
Across the affected prefectures, nearly two million people have been told to leave their homes. More than 50,000 people have lost power, because strong winds knocked out electricity in several regions. The storm has also forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled and rail services to be suspended in some areas.
Japan is still mending from earlier storms in the Pacific season when the evacuation orders were issued. Dujuan is this year’s 25th typhoon to strike the country, and it is arriving during a five-day holiday period that has caused several events and activities to be cancelled.
The Human Cost
The BBC was told by the Yokosuka City Fire Department that a woman in her 60s who lived in a house may have been swept away and is believed to have been buried alive. Search efforts are still underway in the area where the house was damaged.
In Chiba prefecture, a man in his 50s was pulled to safety after becoming trapped while clearing debris at a landslide site. The Sodegaura City Fire Department told the BBC that the worker fell into a bamboo thicket along with some heavy machinery. He was taken to hospital.
Officials in Kanagawa prefecture said they were contacted by a man who reported that a landslide had crushed his home. The full extent of the destruction may not be known until Tuesday.
Events Canceled
Several significant events in Japan have been disrupted by the storm. Monday’s programme at the Rock in Japan music festival has been cancelled, along with Monday’s schedule at the Tokyo Game Show, a video game convention.
Japanese entertainment and gaming are currently in a busy period, and the holiday season has prompted the cancellation of several events.
The Political Fallout
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been forced to put off her trip to the United States this week. She was meant to arrive in New York on Tuesday for a meeting with US President Donald Trump and to speak at the UN General Assembly. Instead, she is staying home to watch the storm’s effects.
A notable alteration has been made to the government’s timetable. Takaichi was scheduled to spend a week in New York holding meetings and delivering addresses, yet the storm has compelled her to abandon her travel and remain in Japan.
What Fuels a Typhoon
Typhoon Dujuan is the latest storm in a series of Pacific storms, and it has been made more intense by the “super El Niño” that is warming the ocean. El Niño is a natural weather event that brings warmer water to parts of the tropical Pacific, and this year’s event is especially strong.
While the total number of typhoons is not clearly affected by El Niño, the phenomenon does change where typhoons form, their intensity, and which countries they hit. Some El Niño events may also expose Japan to stronger typhoons.
When the ocean grows warmer, storms can absorb more energy and wind speeds rise. A hotter atmosphere can hold more moisture, so these storms can also deliver heavier rainfall. Together, those changes mean that storms that do form tend to be more intense than they would be otherwise.
| Warning Level | Current Status | Affected Area |
|---|---|---|
| Danger to life | Warning remains in place | Oshima Town |
| Level four | Landslide warnings remain in place | Shinagawa Ward, Toshima Village, Niijima Village |
| Level three | Heavy rain warnings downgraded or lifted | Most areas |
The table reveals the movement of the warnings. The most serious threat to life warning stays in place in Oshima Town, while level four landslide warnings persist in several wards and villages.
The Long-Term Picture
There is evidence that Japan has become more exposed to destructive storms, yet climate change is not believed to be increasing the number of such storms worldwide. In fact, it could reduce their frequency in some regions.
The warmer ocean waters associated with rising temperatures allow storms to accumulate more energy, which increases their average intensity and leads to higher wind speeds. A hotter atmosphere also holds more moisture, which means these storms could deliver heavier rainfall.
About two million people are still under evacuation orders. Officials say their top concern is making sure everyone stays safe, and the next priority is organizing the effort as the storm passes through the nation.
The public has been told to pay close attention to weather information as the situation keeps changing.
Source material: “Millions urged to evacuate as powerful Typhoon Dujuan hits Japan,” the BBC.
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