By Anandita Mehta
Staff Writer
A devastating typhoon made landfall on the east coast of Japan on Monday, Oct. 23, only one day before elections for prime minister, according to CNN.
Typhoon Lan escalated from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm in one day in the Pacific Ocean, according to The Washington Post.
A devastating typhoon made landfall on the east coast of Japan (envato elements).
The storm weakened back to Category 2 by the time it hit Japan, according to Reuters. Typhoon Lan had a 60 to 65 mile diameter eye, and peak wind gusts of 155 miles per hour, The Washington Post reported.
The storm generated a cloud field larger than the entire country of Japan and rainfall amounts reached a record of 35 inches in Shingu, a region southwest of Tokyo, CNN reported.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency ordered 200,000 people to evacuate, according to CNN. The agency has also advised an additional 2.2 million homes to be prepared to evacuate at any given moment.
At least four people were killed, and an additional 130 were injured by the storm, according to Reuters.
While the storm missed most of Toyko, Japan sustained heavy damage. Riverbanks burst and flooded the streets, according to CNN. Some homes were overcome by mudslides.
Several hundred homes in western Japan were flooded, Al Jazeera reported.
The nation also experienced widespread transportation issues. There were multiple train delays and about 350 flights were canceled, according to Al Jazeera. Ferry services were also delayed, some which included ballots for the election, The Japan Times reported.
Accuweather reported a second typhoon is developing in the Philippines area, according to Al Jazeera. It is predicted to take a similar track as Typhoon Lan, which could cause a second wave of destruction in Japan.
