Typhoon Shanshan wreaks havoc across Japan despite weakening to tropical storm

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Typhoon Shanshan, now downgraded to a tropical storm, continued to bring record rainfall and cause havoc in several parts of the country.

As of Sunday morning, the death toll stands at six, with over 130 injured, and one missing person, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The storm is expected to bring heavy downpours in Tokai, Kinki, and Kanto-Koshin till Monday morning, reported Japan Times.

Some areas like Tokai and Hokuriku are expected to see heavy rainfall through Tuesday morning as well.

The meteorological agency has warned residents to be alert for landslides and flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers, along with lightning strikes and violent gusts of wind. The Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, and Saitama prefectures still have active landslide alerts.

On Saturday, Shanshan caused long extended periods of rainfall in central Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture’s Atami City, which saw a record 654mm of rain in 72 hours – over three times the average rainfall the area saw for all of August.

Ebina city in the Kanagawa Prefecture also received 439mm of rain, over 2.7 times the normal rain for August.

Both Atami and Ebina have recorded their highest rainfall since record keeping began in 1976.

The rains also caused part of a hillside behind a temple in Shizuoka city to collapse, damaging a cemetery and nearly 50 graves in it, footage from NHK showed.

“Around 3:30pm yesterday, we were informed by a temple member that the mountain had collapsed and mudwater was cascading like a waterfall,” said the head priest.

“We plan to contact the temple members and consider our response carefully.”

“I built a grave here 60 years ago. It’s too dangerous to get close, so I’m not sure if the grave has been washed away,” a local resident told NHK.

Shizuoka city recorded 730mm of rain since Monday, and the rains caused by Shanshan added to the damage.

Another landslide triggered by the rainfall from the storm struck a mountain on the grounds of a strawberry farm in Shizuoka’s Suruga Ward.

Footage from NHK showed a huge portion of the mountainside that had fallen, with several agricultural greenhouses appearing to be damaged.

The farm reported that it had 22 greenhouses for cultivating strawberries, all of which have been completely destroyed.

“The entire greenhouse and strawberry fields were swept away. We were stunned and dumbfounded when we saw the damage. I don’t think we will be able to grow strawberries anymore,” said the farm owner.

High speed rail Tokaido Shinkansen suspended all trains between Mishima and Nagoya stations on Sunday, and resumed operations between the Tokyo and Mishima stations later in the morning with reduced frequency.

The Sanyo Shinkansen rail too ran with reduced trains on Sunday, and has said they will run as usual from Monday morning.

Major airline carriers like Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways were operating normally on Sunday, though they have both said inclement weather may result in flights being delayed or cancelled.

Parts of the expressways were closed on Saturday, and remain so on Sunday as well, with the meteorological agency asking motorists to check updates before travelling.