Typhoon Khanun Strikes Southern Japan, Causing Evacuations and Power Outages in Okinawa Islands
Typhoon Khanun, the third typhoon to hit East Asia in as many weeks, has unleashed its fury on southern Japan, leading to evacuations and leaving one-third of homes on the Okinawa islands without power.
With its slow movement, Khanun poses a threat of worsening the heaviest rains Beijing has experienced in over a century. The torrential downpours in China have already resulted in the deaths of at least 34 people.
Climate experts warn that extreme weather events like these will become more frequent due to global warming. Preceding Khanun, two other typhoons, Talim and Doksuri, also wreaked havoc in the Philippines and Taiwan, claiming more than 30 lives.
Originally projected to make landfall on China's northeast coast, current forecasts indicate that Khanun is more likely to veer towards the Japanese mainland without directly hitting China.
The tropical Okinawa islands in Japan are expected to bear the brunt of Khanun's gusts, reaching speeds of 252 km/h (156 mph) on Wednesday. Approximately 20,000 individuals have been advised to evacuate, and nearly 900 flights have been canceled at Okinawa's Naha airport, impacting the peak tourist season for the island. Such strong storms are uncommon during this time of the year in Japan.
Climate scientists have long warned about the intensification and increased frequency of storms and heatwaves due to global warming, which have affected various parts of Asia in recent months.
Winston Chow, a professor in urban climate at Singapore Management University, compares extreme weather events to a game of roulette, where the chances of landing on a red square (extreme weather) have increased due to climate change caused by emissions.
In China, the combined impact of three storms has caused substantial rainfall in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei province since late last week. Approximately 974,400 people have been evacuated in these regions, according to state media.
The heavy rainfall in Beijing has reached historic levels, breaking records set in 1891. Residents in the hard-hit areas have been clearing mud from their homes while authorities work to clear roads and bridges of debris. Officials have warned of more significant rainfall in the region.
In the Philippines, several large suburbs in the capital city of Manila remain submerged due to the devastating impact of the recent typhoons. Approximately 300,000 people have been displaced as rivers continue to swell, and the threat of dams overflowing looms.
Tragedy struck last week when 26 people lost their lives after a ferry capsized in rough seas to the south of Manila. This incident occurred as Typhoon Doksuri moved away from the country's west coast, while Typhoon Khanun gained strength in the east.
These powerful storms have wreaked havoc on infrastructure, causing widespread destruction, fires, and floods across the region. As a result, schools and businesses have had to close intermittently to cope with the ongoing challenges.
Prior to the arrival of the typhoons, many parts of Asia had already been grappling with intense heatwaves. In Japan alone, over 9,000 people were hospitalized for heatstroke in the middle of July, while certain regions in China recorded record-breaking high temperatures.
According to a study published in 2021 by Frontiers in Earth Science, which examined the impact of typhoons between 1979 and 2016, these natural disasters could double in their destructive power over land by the end of the 21st century. This projection raises significant concerns about the increasing severity and frequency of typhoons and underscores the urgency of climate change mitigation efforts to reduce their impact on vulnerable communities.
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