Japan has prepared to evacuate 4 million citizens due to Typhoon Shansha

In the centre of the country, in Aichi Prefecture, a family of five was buried by a landslide, according to. Crisis Management Division From Gamagori city. Three people were killed in the incident, including a couple in their 70s and a man in his 30s. Two women in their 40s were rescued from the rubble and survived, one of them was seriously injured.

Japan Meteorological Agency has called on residents of the affected areas to remain vigilant, as floods and landslides may occur, most of which will occur on Kyushu Island. Meanwhile, travel and trains have been canceled in the country for safety reasons.

Shanshan has left about 254,000 homes without power on Kyushu island, while some areas are expected to receive up to 600 millimetres of rain over 24 hours. The storm’s slowing speed could increase the risk as strong winds and heavy rain will persist for longer.

According to CNN, Japanese officials warned that the situation was imminent and “The lives of citizens have been put at risk”. In Kyushu they have issued the highest typhoon warning, urging 57,000 people to take “life-saving measures.” They have also issued a Level 4 evacuation warning, the second-highest level, for all of Kyushu, affecting more than 3.7 million residents.

Rainfall has already exceeded 0.5 metres in many areas and meteorologists have warned it could reach up to one metre in some isolated and mountainous areas.

Shanshan is weakening as it slowly moves north and has become the equivalent of a Category 1 Atlantic hurricane. Joint Typhoon Warning Center

. After hitting land with winds of 185 km/h, the center of the storm is about 150 kilometers southeast of Sasebo city.