Japan under flood alert after days of record rainfall even as storm Shanshan weakens

Tropical storm Shanshan continued to impact Japan , causing torrential rain, landslides and widespread flooding over the weekend.

The storm, which achieved windspeeds up to 252km/h before it made landfall on Thursday , left at least six people dead, 127 injured and one missing.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said Shanshan weakened into a tropical depression around noon on Sunday, but was still expected to bring more localised downpours, thunder, and strong winds to Tokai, Kinki and Kanto regions.

Atami city in central Japan’s Shizuoka prefecture experienced record rainfall of over 654mm in 72 hours, more than three times the average for the entire month of August. Heavy rainfall led to landslides and swollen rivers, putting many areas at risk.

Authorities issued landslide warnings for the Hamamatsu, Izu and Yokohama regions as well as parts of Tokyo, urging people to evacuate to local stadiums and community centres for safety.

In addition to the risk posed by the storm, the agency said that it was monitoring the development of a weather system near the Philippines which could potentially grow into a typhoon.

Storm Yagi, also known as Storm Enteng, prompted flood and landslide warnings in the Philippines over the weekend, with government work and schools in Manila reportedly suspended.

Shanshan disrupted daily life across Japan. The Tokaido Shinkansen partially resumed operations on Sunday evening, but services could be interrupted by heavy rain. In the southwestern regions of Kyushu and Shikoku, automakers like Toyota and Mazda shut down their factories and many flights were cancelled.

People in the affected regions were busy cleaning up their flooded homes, while keeping a close eye on further weather updates.

As Shanshan slowly moved north, it was expected to head out over the Sea of Japan by Monday. The lingering effects of the storm, however, would likely be felt across the country for many more days.