Satellite images show powerful Typhoon Shanshan making landfall in southern Japan

Southwestern Japan was hit by heavy rain and very strong winds on Thursday 29 August as Typhoon Shanshan made landfall in Kagoshima prefecture, knocking out power supply for over a quarter million households and injuring dozens of people.

The typhoon, categorised as “strong” with gusts of up to 60 metres per second (134 mph), made landfall near Satsumasendai city located in the country’s southwestern island of Kyushu.

Authorities warned the storm could be one of the strongest ever to hit the region, and local governments have issued evacuation orders for millions of residents in several prefectures.