Typhoon Haishen Approaches Southwest... Japan Issues Evacuation Order for 530,000 People

Approaching Kyushu, Japan from Tonight
Flight Cancellations and Shinkansen Service Suspensions

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] As Typhoon Haishen, the 10th typhoon of the season, approached the southwestern region of Japan on the 6th, evacuation orders were issued to more than 500,000 residents in three prefectures of Kyushu.

According to local media, as of 2:30 PM on the same day, evacuation orders to immediately leave dangerous areas were issued by local governments to 278,927 households and 531,394 people in Kagoshima, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto prefectures. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that Haishen is expected to approach Kyushu significantly from late afternoon through the 7th, bringing record-breaking storms, waves, and heavy rain unlike anything experienced before, urging the highest level of caution.

According to the Meteorological Agency, as of 2 PM on the day, Haishen was moving north-northwest at a speed of 30 km/h in the sea 140 km south-southwest of Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture. The central pressure was 935 hPa, 15 hPa higher than at 5 AM that morning, and its movement speed increased by about 10 km. Although the typhoon's strength has somewhat weakened, the maximum sustained wind speed at the center still reaches 45 m/s, with gusts up to 65 m/s. The maximum daily rainfall is expected to be 600 mm in southern Kyushu and 500 mm in northern Kyushu.

Some areas in Japan have already experienced power outages and flight cancellations. As of 2 PM on the day, 28,080 households in Kagoshima Prefecture and 2,670 households in Okinawa Prefecture suffered power outages. Due to Haishen's approach, domestic flight cancellations in Japan have increased, with a total of 528 flights canceled throughout the day, mainly flights departing from airports in Okinawa and southern Kyushu. The Sanyo Shinkansen operating in the Kyushu region decided to suspend operations between Hiroshima Station and Hakata Station starting from the first train on the 7th, when Haishen is expected to make landfall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.