| | | ‘Unprecedented’ super typhoon approaches Japan, officials urge evacuation
The U.S. Navy has designated Nanmadol to be the most destructive tropical storm to hit Japan in decades.
Kyushu island in southern Japan is in the path of a "very dangerous" typhoon, and the weather agency in Japan has advised citizens to leave the area before powerful winds arrive.
On Saturday, the weather agency reported that Typhoon Nanmadol was passing close to the isolated Minami Daito island, 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Okinawa island, with gusts of up to 270 kilometers (168 miles), reported Physics.org.
"There are risks of unprecedented storms, high waves, storm surges, and record rainfall," Ryuta Kurora, the head of the Japan Meteorological Agency's forecast unit, told reporters.
"Maximum caution is required," he said, urging residents to evacuate early.
The U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center has designated Nanmadol as a super typhoon, and it has the potential to be the most destructive tropical storm to hit Japan in decades.
Southern Kyushu prefecture of Kagoshima is where the storm is predicted to approach or make landfall on Sunday.
The weather agency predicted that southern Kyushu might receive 500 millimeters of rain on Sunday while central Tokai could receive 300 millimeters.
The storm is then forecast to proceed north the next day before making its way into the main Japanese island.
The Japanese meteorological department is likely to issue the highest alarm for Kagoshima, according to Kurora.
"The wind will be so fierce that some houses might collapse," Kurora added, warning of heavy flooding and landslides.
The storm, which is comparable in strength to an Atlantic Ocean class 5 hurricane, is expected to turn eastward and pass over Tokyo on Tuesday before dissipating into the sea by Wednesday.
Scientists claim that as a result of climate change, storms are becoming more severe, and extreme weather events like heat waves, droughts, and flash floods are becoming more frequent and intense.
Approximately 20 typhoons impact Japan annually, and the country is presently in typhoon season. These storms frequently bring severe rainfall that results in landslides or flash floods.
This is a developing news story, and it will be updated as more information emerges.
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