A powerful storm has triggered evacuation advisories for more than 1.6 million people, causing widespread travel chaos, flooding and landslides near Tokyo. On Monday, Typhoon Dujuan packed wind speeds of about 144 kilometres (89 miles) per hour as it moved 130km (80 miles) south of Katsuura, near the Japanese capital, cutting power to thousands of households. Two people have been confirmed dead, Kyodo News reported, citing local authorities. By early Tuesday, the storm had shifted away from the coast and was heading northeast out to sea towards the Aleutian Islands, with slightly diminished winds, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.
In areas where warnings have been issued, “there’s a risk the rain will continue as the typhoon moves north”, the JMA’s Takuya Hosomi said. Passengers were stranded at airports after Japan Airlines cancelled 135 flights and All Nippon Airways scrapped 140 on Monday. Some rail services were suspended, including bullet train services connecting Tokyo and Osaka, Japan Railways said. The JMA warned on Sunday that rain and winds were expected to intensify even before the typhoon’s arrival. “The total rainfall through Tuesday could exceed the average monthly rainfall for September, resulting in record-breaking heavy rain,” the agency said.
Social media posts showed images of flooded roads in front of Kamakura station, a popular sightseeing spot. “There is flooding in various parts of the city, so travelling by car is dangerous,” Kamakura Mayor Takashi Matsuo said on X. Floodwaters also inundated parts of Ichikawa, east of Tokyo. Dujuan forced the early closure of the Tokyo Game Show, one of the world’s biggest video game trade fairs, on Monday, its final day. A major outdoor music festival and a baseball match, both scheduled to be held in Chiba, were also cancelled.
Dujuan is Japan’s 25th typhoon this year. The country often sees strong typhoons in the late summer and early autumn.
