31 August 2016 Insurance

Typhoon Lionrock causes landslides and flooding in Japan

Strong winds, drenching rain, high surf and coastal flooding from Typhoon Lionrock has brought extreme levels of precipitation, as well as landslides and flooding as it made landfall in the Tohoku region of Japan on Tuesday (August 30, 2016) evening, according to AIR Worldwide.

Landslides from the typhoon have already shut down roadways and impacted travel. Upwards of 170,000 people have been affected by evacuation orders and more than 100 flights have been cancelled.

“Typhoon Lionrock, which came ashore about 500 kilometers (310 miles) northeast of Tokyo, was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved inland,” said Anna Trevino, senior scientist at AIR Worldwide.

“Lionrock should cross the Sea of Japan by the end of the week and bring heavy rain to Russian maritime territory and northeastern China.

“The fourth typhoon to make landfall in Japan in 2016, Typhoon Lionrock made landfall at high tide, exacerbating storm surge and resulting in flooding in many coastal areas. High wind from the storm has brought down power lines throughout the region, resulting in as many as 10,000 homes being without power.”

The typhoon, which had the intensity of a category 1 hurricane, is the first to make landfall on the Pacific side of the Tohoku region since the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) began recordkeeping in 1951, hitting the same area affected by a 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Trevino continued: “Lionrock is expected to cause much greater damage from the inundating rain than wind. By Tuesday evening, The JMA had reported that 15 centimeters (6 inches) of rain had fallen in the region, and some areas across Honshu were projected to receive as much as 8 centimeters (3 inches) of precipitation per hour. Some areas of the Tohoku region were projected to receive as much as 35 centimeters (14 inches) of rain by Wednesday morning, more than they normally would see in a month.”

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