8 million ordered to evacuate as Typhoon Nanmadol slams across Japan: 'Raining like never before'

John Bacon, USA TODAY

Mon, September 19, 2022 

More than 8 million people in southern and western Japan have been ordered to evacuate as Typhoon Nanmadol roars across the island nation with historic wind and waves.

Local government officials across Japan told national broadcaster NHK that a level 5 alert, the highest on Japan's disaster warning scale, was issued to more than 330,000 people in about 160,000 households in Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Oita prefectures.

Nearly 8 million people in about 3.7 million households affected by a level 4 alert were ordered to evacuate in parts of the Kyushu, Shikoku and Chugoku regions, NHK said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said it was "raining like never before" in Miyazaki, where some areas saw more than 15 inches of rain in the 24 hours through Sunday afternoon. Power lines tumbled and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were dark as the storm slowly rolled northward over Kyushu.

"To protect your life and the lives of your loved ones, please follow the evacuation information already issued by your local municipality immediately," the agency said. "Ensure your own safety without waiting for the announcement of a special warning."

First special typhoon warning

In Kagoshima, thousands took shelter at evacuation centers. Wind speeds of almost 115 mph were reported in parts of the region.

It was the first time the agency has issued a special typhoon warning for an area outside from Okinawa Prefecture. Flights were canceled and train service, the lifeblood of Japanese travel, was suspended in the region.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he had mobilized police, firefighters, the Self-Defense Forces and other agencies.

River Surges as Typhoon Nanmadol Hits Miyazaki

Debris was seen floating in the Mimi River in Misato, Japan, after Typhoon Nanmadol tore through southern parts of the country on Monday, September 19. On Sunday, September 18, a level 5 weather alert was issued to over 100,000 residents in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, and over four million people were told to evacuate the island of Kyushu, according to

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"I urge (the public) to avoid going near places posing potential dangers such as rivers and other waterways or places at risk of landslides, and to evacuate without hesitation if they feel in danger in any way," Kishida said.

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  Drone footage shows collapsed bridge after Taiwan quake

  STORY: Sunday's earthquake caused the Gaoliao Bridge in Hualien County to collapse. Several buildings were also damaged and train carriages were derailed. Taiwan's weather bureau said the epicenter was in Taitung County and followed a 6.4 magnitude temblor on Saturday (September 17) evening in the same area, which caused no casualties.

Earthquake strikes Taiwan

Less than 900 miles southwest of Japan's natural disaster, a strong earthquake struck southeastern Taiwan on Saturday evening, collapsing a house and interrupting rail service on the island. Taiwan's Central News Agency said the 6.4 magnitude shallow quake was centered north of Taitung County on the island's eastern shore.

STRONG EARTHQUAKE HITS TAIWAN: Rail service disrupted, house topples

Contributing: The Associated Press