Typhoon Shanshan tears through southern Japan, makes landfall on Kyushu island

Japan saw its strongest typhoon of the year, with authorities advising tens of thousands of people to evacuate and issuing the highest warning level for wind and storm surges on the main southern island of Kyushu.

Typhoon Shanshan, the most powerful storm Japan has faced this year, made landfall on Kyushu's southern island on Thursday, unleashing severe damage, injuries, and widespread disruptions. The typhoon, with wind gusts reaching 252 kilometers (157 miles) per hour, struck the region around 8:00 am local time (2300 GMT Wednesday), bringing intense rainfall and fierce winds.

Authorities issued the highest level of alerts, urging hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate and cautioning about the dangers of catastrophic floods, landslides, and storm surges. In Miyazaki, 26 people sustained injuries, and 124 instances of property damage were reported, including a tornado that compounded the destruction. Most injuries were non-life-threatening, largely caused by debris from shattered windows.

As Shanshan moved across Kyushu, over 254,000 homes lost power. The slow-moving typhoon is expected to continue towards Japan's main island, Honshu, posing a threat to major cities such as Osaka and Nagoya.

The Japan Meteorological Office issued "special warnings" for Kagoshima, urging residents to remain on high alert for potential violent storms, high tides, landslides, and flooding. The area could receive up to 1,100 millimeters (43 inches) of rain by Friday morning.

In response to the storm, major automakers like Toyota and Nissan have halted operations at several of their domestic plants. Airlines canceled hundreds of flights, and train services were suspended in various parts of Kyushu.

So far, the typhoon has claimed three lives in southwestern Japan and left several others injured. Authorities warn that the storm's slow pace could result in significant rainfall, increasing the potential for further damage and disruptions as it continues its course across the country.