Powerful Typhoon Vongfong Kills 2, Injures More Than 70 in Japan
A destroyed house saw its walls and roof on the second floor collapse due to the strong winds in Makurazaki region in Japan. 13 October 2014. Photo by rieko uekama. Copyright Demotix.
Typhoon Vongfong (aka Typhoon 19) has swept through Japan, leaving at least two people dead and more than 70 people injured.
The super typhoon, described as one of the most powerful storms of the year in the western Pacific, landed on the southern tip of Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island, and made its way all the way up Japan before heading out to sea early on October 14.
台風１９号の今後の進路予測・きょう午後8時現在の推定です。 pic.twitter.com/o4iOLjqPBW
— ＮＨＫ生活・防災 (@nhk_seikatsu) October 13, 2014
The expected path of Typhoon 19 as of 8 a.m. October 13 (NHK Disaster Alerts)
About two million people were evacuated, and damage, while limited, was still significant in isolated and rural prefectures such as Okinawa:
Typhoon 19 causes widespread damage over all parts of Okinawa, injuries and flooding reported – October 12 (ANN News)
Twitter users all over Japan shared images of the typhoon.
One Twitter, a user in Okinawa used time-lapse video to graphically show the dramatically falling air pressure preceding the typhoon storm system:
台風接近で気圧が変わってポテチの袋が変化する様子。これはオモシロっ 2014.台風19号接近でポテチの袋は: http://t.co/Ci0oX6ipUR @YouTubeさんから
— 不破雷蔵(懐中時計) (@Fuwarin) October 13, 2014
Here's how a potato chip bag changes shape as Typhoon 19 gets closer and closer… Cool!
By the time the typhoon reached Kyushu, it had all but obscured the western half of Japan from space:
大型の台風19号、鹿児島県に上陸 http://t.co/5coFTPkD0M 世界の最新ニュースはこちら→ http://t.co/89EqvyqpaN ：写真 pic.twitter.com/yXGXa5zhSA
— AFPBB News (@afpbbcom) October 13, 2014
Super Typhoon 19 over Kagoshima Prefecture, as seen from space.
In Fukuoka (the largest city on the island of Kyushu) the storm was powerful enough to uproot trees:
西新のやよい軒前の木が倒れとる… pic.twitter.com/9NTPOdkruN
— あっくん (@Aki81218) October 13, 2014
Trees have been toppled over in front of the shops in Fukuoka.
Many towns, such as Saiki in Kyushu's Oita Prefecture, were in danger of flooding from raging rivers and culverts.
大分県佐伯市を流れる番匠川・井崎川では、避難判断水位に到達し、今後、さらに水位が上昇する可能性があり、最悪の場合、氾濫し周辺流域では冠水や浸水などの被害に見舞われる可能性があります。 | http://t.co/l9bPN5Qgng pic.twitter.com/BeRGAX9CMH
— 日刊時事ニュース (@nikkan_jijinews) October 13, 2014
Rivers are overflowing in Oita Prefecture's Saiki City, prompting evacuation. River levels are only expected to continue to rise with a high possibility of damage in the vicinity.
The town of Beppu was the scene of a raging cataract through town:
川見に行ったら氾濫しちょった！笑 ビニール傘吹き飛ぶし、びちょびちょ なるし、仮に落ちたら泳げんけん 死ぬし、川に良いことないわぁー pic.twitter.com/2mlWtllZyA
— 淵野祐輝 (@fy05410_n) October 13, 2014
When we went to the river there was a raging torrent! Our little plastic umbrella blew away and we're all wet (LOL). If you happened to fall in the river now it would be the end of you, so best to stay away!
By the time the typhoon reached Kanto and the Tokyo region it had blown itself out, leaving behind beautiful fall weather:
Fujisan from Kawaguchiko. Nice weather after the typhoon pic.twitter.com/J4UdkHLI2t
— Vincent vd Storme (@vincentvds) October 14, 2014
