Typhoon Dujuan batters Japan, nearly 2m people urged to evacuate

Powerful Typhoon Dujuan battered Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday (September 21), bringing torrential rain and strong winds that prompted evacuation orders for nearly 1.9 million people across six prefectures and left almost 50,000 households without power.

The storm brought sustained winds of around 130 kmph, with gusts reaching 194 kmph.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned of an “imminent threat to life” and urged residents in high-risk areas to move to safety.

It also warned that heavy rain triggered flooding and landslides may occur across parts of the Kanto region.

At least two people were killed and four others reported missing after landslides struck areas near Tokyo, according to Japanese media. In Kanagawa, a woman in her 60s was killed when a landslide engulfed her home, while rescue operations continued in other affected areas.

The typhoon also caused widespread disruption to transport. About 300 flights were cancelled and several rail services were suspended, while authorities warned residents to avoid underground facilities because of the risk of rapid flooding.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi postponed a planned trip to the United States to monitor the storm’s impact. The typhoon, one of a series of powerful Pacific storms this season, brought particularly heavy rainfall to the Tokyo region and surrounding prefectures.