Typhoon Shanshan has made landfall on Japan’s southwestern main island of Kyushu, causing heavy rain and strong winds. The storm has left at least 80 people injured across the island’s seven prefectures and three people dead in central Japan.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has urged residents in affected areas to remain on high alert for natural disasters. As a result of the typhoon, public transport operators have canceled trains and flights, and some homes are without power.
Central Japan Railway announced that it will halt all Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train services for the rest of the day due to excessive rainfall along the route. Kyushu Railway also suspended part of its shinkansen bullet train operations on Wednesday night, with disruptions expected to continue through Friday due to the slow-moving nature of the typhoon.
In addition, Sanyo Shinkansen bullet trains will be canceled throughout Friday from Hakata in northern Kyushu to Hiroshima in western Japan.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have announced flight cancellations for regional airports on Friday.
The typhoon made landfall near Satsumasendai in Kagoshima Prefecture at 8 a.m., triggering a rare special typhoon warning that was later downgraded at 10:30 a.m. By 8 p.m., it had moved north-northeast near Shimabara in Nagasaki Prefecture with winds reaching up to 162 kilometers per hour.
In Aichi Prefecture, three people died and two others were injured when their house was hit by a landslide caused by heavy rain brought by the typhoon.
Over 260,000 residences in Kyushu temporarily lost power during the storm. Some landlines were also disrupted but service was restored by around 2 p.m., according to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corp.
Major automakers have suspended operations at some factories primarily located in areas affected by the typhoon. Toyota Motor Corp., for example, has halted production at 14 plants until Friday.
Store and restaurant operations have also been impacted. Seven-Eleven Japan Co. and two other major convenience store chains closed about 900 outlets in Kyushu while McDonald’s Co. (Japan) closed down 98 locations.
Residents living in areas affected by Typhoon Shanshan have been warned about strong winds and dangerous waves. The weather agency is urging people to be prepared for evacuation if conditions worsen as up to 600 millimeters of rain over a span of 24 hours is forecasted for some areas of Kyushu.