According to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency, more than 237,000 people in 11 prefectures of Japan have been issued evacuation warnings due to the arrival of Typhoon Lane in the western part of the country on Tuesday.
This typhoon reached the Shionomisaki area in Wakayama Prefecture around 5 a.m. on Tuesday, with winds gusting at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour), which is equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane.
As reported by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, at least 26 people have been injured in five western prefectures of Japan, according to police and firefighting officials.
In the cities of Tottori and Okayama Prefectures, heavy rainfall on Tuesday exceeded the average for the entire month of August within a few hours. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Tottori City recorded 483 millimeters (19 inches) of rainfall, and Kagamino City in Okayama received 461.5 millimeters (18 inches).
Typhoon Lane follows Typhoon Khanun, which brought wind and rain to southwestern Japan earlier this month.
Like several other Asian countries, Japan is also grappling with extreme weather in this heat. In July, heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in the southwestern part of the country, resulting in the deaths of at least six people. During the same month, Japan experienced waves of intense heat, with temperatures exceeding 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places.
Scientists are clear that human-induced global warming will lead to increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.