Typhoon Dujuan forces 1.6 million evacuations in eastern Japan
Typhoon Dujuan, Japan’s 25th storm of the season, has triggered evacuation orders for 1.6 million people in the Kanto and Tokai regions. The powerful typhoon brought record‑level winds, heavy rainfall and landslides, flooding roads, cutting power and canceling flights and trains. Authorities are st…
By Felo News Desk · Published
Typhoon Dujuan, the 25th storm to hit Japan this year, has forced evacuation orders for more than 1.6 million residents across the Kanto and Tokai regions. The typhoon’s powerful winds, torrential rain and resulting landslides have left a trail of destruction along the Pacific coast, disrupting travel, power supplies and sporting events.
Mass Evacuations and Warnings
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 1,674,084 people in Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures were ordered to leave their homes. In Sodegaura, a city east of Tokyo, authorities issued a level‑five alert – the highest in Japan’s warning system – for 40,000 residents, urging them to move to higher ground and stay away from slopes. The same alert covered 3,020 residents of Oshima and the Izu Islands, where landslide and flooding risks were deemed highest.
Landslide warnings were also issued for Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa and Shizuoka. In Kanagawa, firefighters searched for a woman in her 60s after a landslide collapsed the house she was in. Local media reported that a woman in her 40s suffered minor injuries in a separate landslide in Sodegaura. Roads across the prefecture were flooded, disrupting traffic.
Storm Conditions and Forecasts
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) forecasters described Dujuan as a “very strong typhoon” with sustained winds of 130 km/h and gusts up to 194 km/h. The agency warned that the storm had intensified more than expected after moving over unusually warm waters near the Izu Islands. Forecasts predicted up to 250 mm of rain in the Kanto region and up to 350 mm in the Tokai area, with total rainfall through Tuesday potentially exceeding the average monthly September rainfall.
JMA’s chief forecaster, Takuya Hosomi, cautioned that “some form of disaster has already occurred in landslide‑prone areas and similar zones” and that an imminent threat to life remained. He added that the storm’s path was still shifting, but that rain and winds would likely continue as it moved northward.
Impact on Transportation and Events
The typhoon caused widespread travel chaos. Nearly 500 flights were canceled at Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita airports, with Japan Airlines canceling 135 flights and All Nippon Airways scrapping 140. Some bullet train services on the Tokaido line were suspended, and the Tokaido Shinkansen was temporarily halted. The Japanese government delayed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s trip to the United States, pushing her departure from New York back by four hours.
Sports and cultural events were also affected. The Asian Games, which opened in Nagoya, saw an equestrian event postponed. The Tokyo Game Show, a major video‑game trade fair, was closed early on its final day. A major outdoor music festival and a baseball match scheduled in Chiba were canceled, and a cruise ship hosting 4,000 competitors was advised to keep passengers on board if it needed to be relocated.
Casualties and Rescue Efforts
Two people were confirmed dead by Kyodo News, citing local authorities. Rescue teams were working in heavy rain to locate missing individuals, including a woman believed to have been buried alive in Kanagawa. Power outages affected thousands of households, and flooding inundated parks and roads, as seen in Ichikawa city east of Tokyo.
What’s Next?
Authorities continue to monitor the typhoon’s path as it moves northeast out to sea toward the Aleutian Islands. The JMA warns that rain and winds may persist, potentially causing further landslides and flooding. Rescue operations are ongoing, and officials are assessing damage to infrastructure and homes. Residents are advised to stay alert to updates from local authorities and to follow evacuation orders if issued.
As Japan’s 25th typhoon of the season, Dujuan highlights the unusually active weather pattern linked to a strong El Niño. The country remains vigilant as it prepares for the remainder of the typhoon season.
Key facts
- 1.6 million people ordered to evacuate across Kanto and Tokai
- Level‑five alerts issued in Sodegaura and Oshima
- Heavy rainfall up to 350 mm forecasted
- Nearly 500 flights canceled, bullet trains suspended
- Two confirmed deaths, ongoing rescue operations
Why it matters
The widespread evacuations and infrastructure disruptions underscore the severe impact of Typhoon Dujuan on Japan’s densely populated eastern coast, affecting millions of lives and critical transportation networks.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were ordered to evacuate due to Typhoon Dujuan?
Over 1.6 million residents in Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures were ordered to evacuate.
What were the wind speeds of the typhoon?
Sustained winds of 130 km/h with gusts up to 194 km/h were reported.
Which major events were canceled because of the storm?
The equestrian event at the Asian Games, the Tokyo Game Show, a major music festival and a baseball match in Chiba were all canceled.
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk
- [2] aljazeera.com
