According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the tornado formed on September 12 as tropical storm Peipah passed, causing heavy rain and strong winds along the Pacific coast. This was the strongest typhoon ever recorded in Japan, with wind speeds of up to 270 km/h, enough to sweep away cars, knock down power poles and blow off roofs.
Makinohara and Yoshida towns suffered the most damage, with about 1,200 homes, stores and public facilities affected. Officials said at least 89 people were injured, including some in critical condition.
Just 20 minutes earlier, another tornado also appeared in the city of Kakegawa, with winds of about 198 km/h. The two consecutive intense tornadoes appearing on the same day caused panic among residents, many places had to be urgently evacuated.
In addition to the tornado, Typhoon Peipah also brought heavy rain, with some places recording rainfall of over 80 mm/h. Shizuoka and neighboring provinces have issued evacuation orders for more than 600,000 people due to the risk of flash floods and landslides.
Currently, local authorities are mobilizing forces to urgently overcome the consequences, clean up the rubble, restore electricity and water and support people who lost their homes. However, experts warn that material damage will be huge and the recovery process may take a long time.
Meteorologists say the event reflects the increasingly unpredictable risk of natural disasters and thunderstorms in Japan, as climate change causes extreme weather to appear more frequently, forcing the country to increase investment in warning systems and disaster prevention infrastructure.
