Typhoon Neoguri slammed Japan’s southern islands, and is now on a war path to the mainland.
Although the storm will no longer be called a super typhoon by the time it reaches the mainland, residents should still expect heavy rain, wind damage, power outages, and flooding Wednesday and Thursday.
“I’m calling the heads of municipalities not to hesitate in issuing evacuation warnings and don’t be afraid of being overcautious, “ said Keiji Furuya, the state minister in charge of disaster management.
Brg. Gen. James Hecker warned residents to take serious precautions.
“During the typhoon, do not go outside…anything not tied down, even small items, could become deadly projectiles.”
Okinawa and other islands in the Ryukyu Island chain south of Japan were hit with sustained winds of over 70 mph on Tuesday when the strongest typhoon of 2014 struck.
Typhoon Neoguri shattered buildings, damaged stores, and toppled trees as it made its way through the islands.
The Japan Times reported parts of Nagasaki recorded the heaviest rainfall in 50 years with over six inches of rain falling in three hours. Landslides and flash flooding was also reported.
Orders to evacuate to safer shelter were given to 540,000 people in the Okinawa Prefecture and 107,300 people were without power Tuesday night.
Americans stationed at Kadena Air Base were also prepared for the storm. They evacuated aircraft to other bases.
On the base’s website, Birg. Gen. James Hecker gave this statement: “I can’t stress enough how dangerous this typhoon may be when it hits Okinawa. This is the most powerful typhoon forecast to hit the island in 15 years; we expect damaging winds to arrive by early Tuesday morning.”
Currently there has been only one death when a man’s boat was overtaken by high waves from the storm, according to Reuters. Local news reports 25 injuries in the Okinawa Prefecture at this time.
Typhoon Neoguri is expected to hit Mainland Japan by Wednesday night.
Chinese media is reporting at least five dead and four confirmed missing in the wake of Typhoon Fitow.
The tropical cyclone struck early Monday with sustained winds of more than 93 m.p.h. Officials said homes were flattened and many villages were completely flooded by the massive rainfall.
More than 4.5 million people were impacted by the floodwater.
Officials in the Fujian and Zhejiang provinces say economic losses have already reached $3.4 billion dollars.
State media said shrimp farms and seaweed farms were destroyed by the storm.
“We have basically lost everything this year,” a seaweed farmer told the BBC.
Hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens fled the coastlines as authorities issued a red alert due to Typhoon Fitow.
The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 93 m.p.h., made landfall around 1:15 a.m. local time Monday. Forecasters predict as much as 8 inches of rain falling in the early morning hours across three provinces along the southwest coast.
At least two port workers are reported missing in Zhejiang province with many homes already destroyed. Power is reportedly out across hundreds of miles.
Over 750,000 residents of the three provinces were forced to evacuate by Chinese police and military.
Guangdong province, which neighbors the province where the storm’s eye made landfall, had 25 people die when Typhoon Usagi struck just weeks ago.
Over 400,000 people have been forced to leave their homes after Typhoon Man-yi struck central Japan.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency said the country received “an unprecedented amount of rainfall” in central prefectures of Kyoto, Fukui and Shiga. In some places three inches of rain fell per hour. Continue reading →
In a pattern of worsening typhoon seasons across the globe, the capital of Mali has been hit with flash flooding being called “the worst case for several years.” Continue reading →
Typhoon Utor roared into the Philippines on Monday killing at least two. Officials say at least 44 people have been reported missing.
The storm is reported as the strongest this year; it came ashore in the eastern Aurora province with sustained winds of 109 m.p.h. and gusts over 130 m.p.h. Continue reading →
Typhoon Soulik has hit China with winds of at least 74 mph causing the Chinese government to launch emergency response plans.
Over 300,000 residents of the Fujian Province have been forced to evacuate their homes amid the winds, floods and landslides. Flights have been canceled and train service suspended throughout the region. Continue reading →
Officials in the Philippines have confirmed 325 people dead from Typhoon Bopha with the number expected to rise as emergency personnel reach more villages.
In addition to the dead, over 375 have been reported missing and officials estimate a number of those will be found dead. Continue reading →
Typhoon Bopha’s death toll is rapidly climbing as Philipino officials start to reach areas of the country cut off by flooding and mudslides.
One small province in the eastern part of the country has reported at least 156 dead. Over 43 died in one village when a mudslide buried a school and village hall that served as a evacuation center.
The province along the coastline where the storm made landfall has reported 50 dead with many small villages still inaccessible to rescue personnel.
Governor Arturo Uy told the BBC that the storm has caused catastrophic damage to the region’s food supplies. In the areas they have been able to access, Uy estimated up to 80% of the crops were destroyed…most of them bananas marked for export. The exports bring the majority of income for the region.
The town of Cateel had more than 95% of their buildings completely destroyed by the storm.
