Evacuation order to 2mln in southwestern Japan over powerful typhoon

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As typhoon Nanmadol approaches the Japanese island of Kyushu, about 1,962,000 people in more than 965,000 households have been told to evacuate, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

The fourth of five possible threat levels is an evacuation order, which indicates advice to move to a safe location while evacuation is still possible. The fifth and highest level indicates the urgency to preserve life.

Nearly 68,000 people in the cities of Izumi and Nishinoomote in Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyushu are on level 5 alert.

The typhoon is currently located south of the island of Kyushu and is traveling northwest. In the core of the storm, wind speeds reach 50 meters per second (111 miles per hour), with gusts reaching 70.

In Kagoshima Prefecture, wind gusts of up to 42 meters per second have already been recorded. Experts warn that waves at sea can reach 14 meters in height. Floods and landslides are also severe hazards, according to meteorologists.

As a result of the storm, 510 flights were canceled, while ferries and high-speed trains were suspended in several areas. In addition, more than 22,000 houses in the zone of the typhoon were left without electricity.

Last month, over 72,000 people in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, were ordered to evacuate the area as Typhoon Meari approached, amid fears of heavy rainfall, mudslides, and flooding, according to the Kyodo news agency.