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Millions urged to evacuate as Typhoon Nanmadol hits Japan

Millions urged to evacuate as Typhoon Nanmadol hits Japan
Millions urged to evacuate as Typhoon Nanmadol hits Japan

The government of Japan has reportedly ordered the evacuation of at least four million residents from the island of Kyushu to the country’s south as one of the biggest typhoons to ever hit Japan, Typhoon Nanmadol, has made landfall in the region.

Accompanied by winds blowing at over 112 mph (180 km/hr), authorities have warned that some of the areas can receive up to 500 mm of rainfall within a two-day period.

On Sunday morning, the typhoon hit the southern point of Kyushu, in the city of Kagoshima. In the wake of the typhoon, the island is expected to receive extensive landslides and flooding. Services like ferries, bullet trains, and flights have already been canceled.

According to credible sources, authorities had already issued special alerts for the island. Typhoon Nanmadol is gradually moving north, in Kyushu, and is accompanied by rains. In the upcoming days, it is expected to move towards Tokyo, without losing much of its potential.

While the advice is not mandatory, the residents of Kyushu have been asked to move to shelters. Historically, the region’s authorities have struggled to convince people to shift to shelters on account of extreme weather conditions.

As per reports, the biggest threat comes from rain, which is causing rivers to rise and creating conditions ideal for mudslides and landslides. Utility service providers have reported that almost 200,000 homes are without electricity.

Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida has urged residents to evacuate their homes if they feel any danger. Kishida has also cautioned that evacuating at night might be more dangerous, and they should seek refuge at safer places before nightfall.

Nanmadol is the fourteenth Pacific typhoon of this season, and the largest one to hit Japan by far.

An official from the meteorological agency of Japan stated that the potential of Typhoon Nanmadol is more than both Typhoon Hagibis, which resulted in widespread power cuts in 2019, and Typhoon Jebi, which resulted in the death of 14 people in 2018.

While Japan is well-prepared to deal with such typhoons, scientists claim climate change is making them more destructive and bigger in size.

Source credit: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62938608

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Saloni Walimbe

With an MBA-Marketing qualification under her belt, Saloni has always had a penchant for words, and holds two years of considerable experience as a content writer in the advertising field. She is currently following her passion for content creation by penning down insightful articles for theresearchprocess.com and a few other news websites.