Typhoon Shanshan Impacts Japan

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Aug 29, 2024

Above: Satellite image of Typhoon Shanshan on August 27, 2024 Image copyright: Joint Typhoon Warning Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via Wikimedia Commonsstory last updated Aug 30

The Facts

On Thursday, millions of people evacuated as Typhoon Shanshan struck southwest Japan with high winds and flooding rain. The tropical cyclone, the strongest to hit Japan this year, knocked out electricity, disrupting air travel and causing manufacturing facilities to close.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said that the typhoon hit Unzen city in Nagasaki Prefecture with gusts of 180 km/hr (112 mph). Three people have reportedly died and one is missing (with numbers in flux).

The Spin

Narrative A

Typhoon Shanshan is one of the worst tropical cyclones to hit Japan in years. A recent study has found that the climate crisis has caused typhoons to originate closer to coasts, strengthen faster, and linger longer over land. The most powerful and devastating tropical cyclones have grown due to human-caused climate change. Warming seas provide more energy, making storms stronger and putting Japan at more risk.

Guardian

Narrative B

For Japan, which experiences heat waves, typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis annually, preparation is key. Japan is disaster-resilient and more equipped than most other nations. The nation's preparedness capabilities are world-renowned and its disaster management systems are well equipped to handle climate-catalyzed and other types of hazards alike.