Four people have died in Japan after Typhoon Dujuan impacted Tokyo and surrounding prefectures with heavy rainfall and strong winds, according to local reports. The storm resulted in power outages affecting 50,000 residents and the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Most evacuation orders were lifted on Tuesday as the storm moved away from Japan's eastern coast.
During the peak of the storm on Monday, authorities issued warnings of an 'imminent threat to life' and advised 1.9 million people to seek shelter. The fatalities occurred due to landslides in Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures, with six individuals reported missing, as stated by public broadcaster NHK.
Dujuan had sustained winds of 130 km/h (80.8 mph) and gusts reaching 194 km/h. This typhoon is part of a series of storms in the Pacific, which have been intensified by the current 'super El Niño' phenomenon, warming ocean waters and contributing to storm formation.
Authorities urged the public to stay informed about weather updates. Dujuan, Japan's 25th typhoon of the year, coincided with a five-day holiday, leading to the cancellation of various events, including concerts at the Rock in Japan music festival and programming at the Tokyo Game Show.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed condolences for the victims in a post on X and confirmed her intention to proceed with her scheduled trip to the United States. She stated, 'With a sense of urgency, I instructed Chief Cabinet Secretary Takehara and Minister Hosono to respond with utmost preparedness.'
The Yokosuka City Fire Department reported that a woman in her 60s was believed to have been buried alive after a landslide destroyed her home. She was later found by rescue crews and pronounced dead. Additionally, a man in his 50s was rescued after becoming trapped while clearing debris at a landslide site in Chiba prefecture, but he later died in the hospital. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding these incidents.
Research indicates that Japan may be increasingly vulnerable to severe storms, although climate change is not necessarily linked to a rise in the overall number of storms globally. However, as temperatures rise, typhoons that do occur are expected to become more intense, with warmer ocean waters providing more energy and a warmer atmosphere holding more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall.
The typhoon continues to move along Japan's Pacific coast toward the north, and the full extent of the damage may not be assessed until Tuesday. Additional reporting was contributed by Chie Kobayashi and Mark Poynting, climate reporter.