'Unprecedented Typhoon' Nanmadol Lands in Japan Today... Evacuation Orders for 4 Million People

Japan Meteorological Agency: "A Dangerous Typhoon Unprecedented in History"
30,000 Households in Kagoshima Prefecture Already Experiencing Power Outages
Special Warning Issued on the 18th... First Outside Okinawa Region

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency on the 18th, Nanmadol is moving north-northwest at a speed of 20 km/h as of 6 a.m., located 60 km southeast by south of Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] The super typhoon 'Nanmadol,' which has developed into an extremely powerful storm, is forecasted to pass through the Japanese archipelago, prompting authorities to be on high alert. The Japan Meteorological Agency has raised its warning level to the maximum, describing it as an "unprecedentedly dangerous typhoon."

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency on the 18th, as of 6 a.m., Nanmadol was moving north-northwest at a speed of 20 km/h, located 60 km south-southeast off Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture. The central pressure is 920 hPa (hectopascal), with maximum wind speeds near the typhoon's center reaching 50 m/s and maximum instantaneous wind speeds of 70 m/s.

Nanmadol is forecasted to make landfall near Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Kyushu in the afternoon. In this case, the maximum instantaneous wind speed could reach 75 m/s in southern Kyushu and 70 m/s in northern Kyushu. Additionally, the expected rainfall over 24 hours from midnight on the 19th is 600 mm in southern Kyushu and 500 mm in Shikoku.

Although the typhoon has not yet fully made landfall, some areas are already experiencing damage. According to Kyushu Electric Power, as of 10 a.m., 33,960 households in Kagoshima Prefecture have suffered power outages. NHK reports that evacuation orders have been issued to approximately 1,941,300 households and about 4,034,900 people across the entire Kyushu region.

The Meteorological Agency has issued a special warning for Kagoshima Prefecture, emphasizing that "unprecedented storms, high waves, and tsunamis are expected, requiring the highest level of caution." Special warnings were previously issued once each in Okinawa Prefecture in 2014 and 2016, but this is the first time such a warning has been issued outside Okinawa.

Record-breaking heavy rain is also expected. Therefore, maximum caution is necessary for river flooding, landslides, and lowland inundation, and a 'Landslide Warning' has also been issued.

After making landfall in Kyushu, the typhoon is expected to change course northeastward and pass through the Japanese archipelago. According to Kyodo News, the Japanese government has established a 'Cabinet Liaison Office' at the Prime Minister's Office Crisis Management Center to prepare for typhoon damage.

Kyodo News also reports that on the 18th, the Japanese government plans to hold a typhoon countermeasures ministerial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

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