Typhoon Dujuan triggers mass evacuations and service disruptions in Japan

Typhoon Dujuan has struck Japan, bringing torrential rain and high winds of up to 144 kilometers per hour. As of Monday, the storm was located approximately 130 kilometers south of Katsuura. In response, authorities have issued evacuation advisories for over 1.6 to 1.9 million residents across the Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Shizuoka prefectures. While these evacuations are not mandatory, the city of Sodegaura in Chiba prefecture reached a level 5 alert, the highest on the scale, due to the extreme weather conditions.

The storm has caused significant infrastructure disruptions. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have cancelled a combined 275 flights, while railway services in and around the capital remain suspended. Over 9,000 households in the Tokyo metropolitan area have lost power. Civil protection agencies have issued warnings regarding landslides and flood risks, specifically cautioning residents against entering underground areas where visibility and escape routes are compromised. Authorities also warned of the danger posed by potentially displaced manhole covers.

According to Takuya Hosomi of the Japan Meteorological Agency, the risk of continued heavy rainfall persists as the typhoon moves northward. Meteorological warnings were initiated as early as Sunday, and the situation remains under close observation by local authorities and emergency response teams to mitigate further risks to public safety.