Hundreds of thousands of people in southwestern Japan have been ordered to evacuate as Typhoon Dolphin moves closer to the country, bringing the threat of powerful winds, torrential rain, and dangerous waves. Authorities have also canceled more than 500 domestic and international flights due to the severe weather.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Typhoon Dolphin is a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds of 144 km/h and wind gusts reaching up to 198 km/h. The typhoon was approaching a chain of islands located between the Kyushu region and Okinawa Prefecture and is expected to maintain its strength as it moves closer to land.
Evacuation orders have been issued for nearly 260,000 residents in Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures. Officials warned that the storm could produce destructive winds capable of damaging or even collapsing buildings. The weather agency also cautioned that a linear rain band may develop, bringing intense rainfall, thunderstorms, flash flooding, and landslides.
The approaching typhoon has also disrupted industrial operations. Toyota temporarily suspended production at nine factories across Japan on Friday over concerns that the severe weather could affect the shipping of finished vehicles.
The storm is expected to impact large parts of Kyushu, including Kumamoto Prefecture, which is still recovering from the powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck on July 28. Around 6,700 people remain in evacuation shelters after many homes were damaged or destroyed in the quake.
In addition to the storm, authorities have warned residents about the risk of heatstroke, with temperatures expected to rise to as high as 36°C in some areas despite the severe weather conditions.
