Typhoon Shanshan hits Japan, claims three lives and brings air traffic to a standstill

TOKYO – At least three people were killed in southwestern Japan on Thursday when Typhoon Shanshan made landfall in Kagoshima Prefecture, bringing heavy rains and very strong winds, disrupting air traffic and leaving more than a quarter of a million homes without power.

Because of the storm, major automakers such as Toyota and Nissan suspended operations at some or all of their domestic factories.

The typhoon, with gusts of up to 123 miles per hour, made landfall near the city of Satsumasendai on the country's southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday morning, the weather agency said.

Authorities warned that the storm could be one of the strongest ever to hit the region, and local governments have issued evacuation orders for millions of residents in several prefectures.

Three people died in the typhoon, one was missing, two were seriously injured and five suffered minor injuries, said Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

“As this typhoon moves slowly, [the] “The total rainfall could be quite large,” Hayashi said at a regular press conference.

Footage from public broadcaster NHK showed collapsed walls and broken windows in buildings in the city of Miyazaki in southern Kyushu, as well as objects scattered on the streets or hanging from power poles.

According to Kyushu Electric Power Co., more than 250,000 households in seven prefectures experienced power outages as of 9 a.m. Thursday.

After the storm remains over Kyushu for the next few days, it is expected to approach the central and eastern regions, including the capital Tokyo, by the weekend, the weather agency said.

Airlines such as ANA Holdings and Japan Airlines have already announced the cancellation of over 600 domestic flights. Train services have been suspended in many parts of Kyushu.

Typhoon Shanshan is the latest storm to hit Japan, following Typhoon Ampil earlier this month which caused power outages and evacuations.