Tuesday, August 27, 2024 Japan finds itself in travel turmoil once more as Typhoon Shanshan barrels towards the Amami islands, unleashing powerful winds and torrential rain. The impact has been swift and severe, with numerous flights, including those by Singapore Airlines, canceled, and bullet train services disrupted. As the storm intensifies, Japan braces for further disruptions, with transportation networks across the country already feeling the strain.
A powerful typhoon is on a collision course with southern Japan, bringing with it heavy rainfall and causing widespread disruptions to transportation, including bullet trains and flights. Typhoon Shanshan is advancing towards the southern Amami islands, with gusts reaching speeds of up to 216 kilometers per hour (135 miles per hour). On Tuesday morning, the downpour led to the temporary suspension of bullet train services between Hamamatsu and Toyohashi in central Japan, though operations were quickly restored, according to the operator.
Other parts of the high-speed rail network and local train services experienced delays, reported Central Japan Railway and West Japan Railway. Looking ahead, the companies warned that further bullet train services might be canceled or suspended later in the week, depending on the typhoon’s trajectory. The typhoon has also severely impacted air travel across Japan.
At Narita Airport, a total of five flights were canceled, with 201 others delayed. Kansai International Airport saw seven flights canceled and 164 delayed. Meanwhile, Chubu Centrair International Airport reported two cancellations and 49 delayed flights as shown in Flightaware.
Several major airlines have been affected, including Malaysia Airlines, Japan Airlines, Firefly, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines, all of which have had to cancel flights in response to the severe weather. Japan Airlines alone announced the cancellation of 116 domestic flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, along with six international flights. All Nippon Airways followed suit, stating that it would cancel 68 domestic flights from Wednesday through Friday due to the approaching typhoon.
In addition, several Singapore Airlines (SIA) flights between Osaka and Singapore scheduled for Wednesday, August 28, have been canceled as the strong typhoon sweeps towards Japan, further disrupting travel plans. The canceled flights include several key routes between Singapore and Osaka. These are SQ620, scheduled to depart from Singapore to Osaka at 8:30 AM, SQ621, which was set to return from Osaka to Singapore at 5:25 PM, SQ622, departing from Singapore to Osaka at 1:55 PM, and SQ623, the return flight from Osaka to Singapore at 11:25 PM.
These cancellations are part of a broader response to the impending Typhoon Shanshan, as airlines prioritize passenger safety amidst the severe weather conditions. The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to “evacuate from hazardous areas,” warning of heavy rain, potential landslides in the central Shizuoka region, and high waves in the southern Amami area. Typhoon Shanshan is forecasted to turn towards Kyushu, Japan’s main southern island, later in the week.
This storm follows closely on the heels of Typhoon Ampil, which caused significant disruptions to flights and trains earlier this month, though it only resulted in minor injuries and damage as it moved along the Pacific coast near Tokyo. Ampil came just days after Tropical Storm Maria, which unleashed record rainfall in northern Japan. Recent studies suggest that typhoons in the region are forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more quickly, and lingering longer over land due to climate change.
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