Japanese authorities advised more than one million people to evacuate on Friday as tropical storms moved towards the country, bringing heavy rain and raising concerns over flooding and landslides.
Officials confirmed four injuries so far, including one serious injury and three minor cases, while dozens of buildings have already reported flooding damage, mainly in southern areas.
Two storms expected to converge
Severe tropical storm Mekkhala was downgraded from typhoon status but continued to bring strong winds reaching up to 108 kilometres per hour.
Heavy rain has already affected parts of southern and western Japan, with the system expected to move near the islands of Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu over the weekend, potentially impacting major population centres including Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.
Meteorologists are also monitoring tropical storm Higos, which remains active in the Pacific Ocean.
The interaction of the two systems could trigger the Fujiwhara effect, a meteorological phenomenon in which two storms influence each other, making their movement and intensity more difficult to predict.
Authorities warn of dangerous conditions
Government officials warned that extremely heavy rainfall could reach dangerous levels.
Local authorities in Kyoto and Osaka reported rising river levels and warned residents about possible flooding.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency also warned of potential landslides and other rain-related disasters in affected areas.
Transport and industry disrupted
Travel and industrial operations have already been affected by the severe weather.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways cancelled a combined total of 120 flights serving Okinawa and Kagoshima.
Automaker Toyota suspended operations at a plant in Kyushu due to road closures caused by heavy rainfall, while Nissan said it also planned temporary production disruptions.
Japan’s military additionally cancelled the planned first flight of a V-22 Osprey aircraft to Miyako Island during joint military exercises with the United States.
Taiwan also affected by severe weather
The weather system also disrupted Taiwan, where more than 1,600 people were evacuated from their homes.
Schools and offices closed in several regions as torrential rain triggered floods and landslides. Authorities warned of dangerous debris flows in mountainous areas after some locations recorded rainfall totals of up to 88 centimetres since Thursday.
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