Double Typhoons Leave Record Rain, Flooding Across Japan

Typhoon No. 8, Higos, passed close to Kanto on the morning of June 27 before weakening into an extratropical system over waters east of Japan at 9 a.m. Typhoon No. 7, Mekkhala, followed later in the day, moving along the Pacific side of Honshu and passing close to southern Kanto from evening to night before also changing into an extratropical system east of Kanto at 9 p.m.

The two storms approached Japan’s Pacific side in succession, creating an unusual double-typhoon event across Kanto and Tokai. Typhoon No. 8 brought the first peak of rain in the morning, especially in Chiba Prefecture, before rain temporarily eased. Typhoon No. 7 then brought a second peak from the afternoon into the evening as it moved northeast along the Pacific side.

By June 28, the direct typhoon threat had passed, but the weather had not fully recovered. The seasonal rain front remained nearby, and moist air continued to flow into the region. Kanto was expected to see rain on and off through the day, with some areas likely to experience brief stronger showers.

Clouds covered much of Kanto early on June 28, and light rain was already falling in some places. Rain clouds moving in from the west had reached Yamanashi and were expected to spread across Kanto during the morning. Forecasters said umbrellas would still be needed across the region, even though the typhoons themselves had moved away.

The rain was not expected to reach the same intensity as during the peak of the double typhoon, but the danger remained because the ground was already saturated. Authorities warned that even small additional rainfall could increase the risk of landslides in areas where the soil had loosened.

Chiba Prefecture remained one of the areas of greatest concern after receiving record rainfall during the double-typhoon event. Choshi recorded 232.5 millimeters of rain over 24 hours, the highest June total on record for the city. The amount was close to what the area normally receives in an entire month of June, leaving soil moisture levels extremely high.

In Kimitsu, Chiba Prefecture, 55.5 millimeters of very heavy rain fell in the hour shortly after 5:30 a.m. on June 27, the highest hourly rainfall ever recorded there in June. In Katsuura, Chiba Prefecture, a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 29.1 meters per second was observed as Typhoon No. 8 made its closest approach.

The morning rain from Typhoon No. 8 caused road flooding in Chiba. Reports from Choshi showed roads covered with water, with vehicles driving through deep floodwater and sending up large sprays. In some places, water appeared to reach around knee height, creating risks for both vehicles and pedestrians.

In Mobara, Chiba Prefecture, water overflowed near Mobara Park, with footage showing water gushing from what appeared to be a manhole or drainage channel. Officials warned that such flooding can be especially dangerous because manhole covers and drain covers can shift or come loose, making flooded streets hazardous for pedestrians.

Choshi also saw large-scale inundation around Kiyokawa-cho. Reports sent around 7 a.m. on June 27 showed cars driving through flooded roads, with water deep enough to pose a risk of entering vehicle engines. Drivers were urged not to force their way through flooded roads and to avoid underpasses and low-lying routes.

In Chiba Prefecture, Level 4 landslide danger warnings were issued on June 27 for parts of the prefecture, including Minamiboso and Tateyama. In Minamiboso, rain repeatedly strengthened and weakened through the day. Winds were relatively calm at times, but whitecaps were visible offshore, showing that seas remained rough.

The morning rain moved through quickly but was intense. Around 5 a.m., very active rain clouds passed mainly south of the Boso Peninsula. By 6 a.m., they had moved eastward, and by around 7 a.m. the remaining rain near Choshi had mostly cleared. Even so, some areas received around 60 millimeters of rain in roughly one hour, enough to cause rapid road flooding.

After Typhoon No. 8 weakened and moved away, Kanto briefly saw a lull. At JR Maihama Station in Chiba Prefecture, many people were seen heading toward Tokyo Disney Resort during the break in the rain. Some visitors said they had worried about heavy rain but were relieved that it was not raining in the morning, while others said they had hoped the typhoon would mean smaller crowds.

The lull did not last. Rain strengthened again in the afternoon as Typhoon No. 7 approached from the southwest. Typhoon No. 7 moved northeast along Japan’s Pacific side and came close to southern Kanto from evening to night, bringing the second peak of rain.

As of 7 p.m. on June 27, Typhoon No. 7 was about 40 kilometers south-southeast of Choshi, moving northeast at 75 kilometers per hour. The storm had a central pressure of 996 hectopascals, maximum sustained winds of 20 meters per second and maximum instantaneous gusts of 30 meters per second.

Earlier, at 4 p.m., Typhoon No. 7 had been about 190 kilometers south-southwest of Omaezaki in Shizuoka Prefecture, moving east-northeast at 55 kilometers per hour. By evening, it had moved from waters south of the Izu Peninsula toward waters south of the Boso Peninsula, shifting the main rain risk toward southern Chiba, the northern Izu Islands and nearby coastal areas.

Satellite imagery showed Typhoon No. 7 losing its circular typhoon-like structure during the afternoon. Developed rain clouds formed mainly on the northeastern side of the center rather than around the center itself, while clouds trailing behind the center toward the Pacific side of Shikoku were relatively weak. The storm became increasingly asymmetrical as it transitioned toward an extratropical system.

The strongest winds were mostly limited to the southeast side of Typhoon No. 7, meaning the wind impact over inland Kanto was smaller than initially feared. Stronger winds remained possible in the Izu Islands and along the Boso Peninsula coast, but the main danger was heavy rain, especially in areas where the ground had already become saturated.

Rain clouds developed ahead of the storm because warm, moist air flowed in from the east side of Typhoon No. 7 and interacted with the seasonal rain front. A front-like shear line formed northeast of the storm center, and a small low-pressure feature was analyzed near the Boso Peninsula, helping rain clouds intensify away from the storm center.

Strong or intense rain remained possible around Choshi until around 8 p.m. on June 27, after which the heaviest rain clouds gradually moved away as Typhoon No. 7 accelerated northeast. The storm became an extratropical system east of Kanto at 9 p.m., ending the direct double-typhoon event but leaving behind saturated ground and an unsettled rainy-season pattern.

Damage was also reported in Tokyo. In a park in Koganei, a cherry tree about 13 meters tall was found toppled on the morning of June 27. A local official said the tree may have fallen because the ground had been affected by the typhoon, rain, wind and the previous night’s earthquake.

Another cherry tree fell along the Seibu Shinjuku Line in Nerima. A later report said the tree was about 12 meters tall. The incidents showed that even areas away from the strongest rain bands could still be affected by saturated ground, wind and weakened root systems.

In Shizuoka Prefecture, flooding was reported around noon on June 27 in Shimoda, where roads became inundated and vehicles were forced to turn back. The city lies on the Izu Peninsula, one of the areas affected by heavy rain as Typhoon No. 7 moved eastward along the Pacific side.

In Fukuoka Prefecture, a ground collapse occurred in Tagawa, prompting nearby residents to evacuate. The site is a former coal mining area where underground mine tunnels remain, and officials believe the collapse may have been caused by heavy rain.

Eastern Yamanashi also faced heightened concern after rain fell on areas affected by a strong earthquake late on June 26. Fuji-Kawaguchiko recorded more than 90 millimeters of rain, raising concern that slopes could loosen further. Officials warned that landslides can occur even after the heaviest rain has passed, especially in areas where the ground has been shaken or saturated.

Typhoon No. 7 also affected tourism areas in Kanagawa Prefecture. Around Kamakura Station, rain continued to fall in the afternoon of June 27, and foot traffic on Komachi-dori, a street lined with restaurants and shops, was much lighter than usual. A local tourist information office said visitor numbers felt about one-tenth of normal.

Kotoku-in, the temple known for the Great Buddha of Kamakura, was closed, and restaurants in the surrounding area temporarily shut one after another. Some foreign tourists said they had come because they could not cancel their trips, while business operators said they were closing early to prepare for the typhoon.

Damage had already been reported across western and central Japan from earlier rounds of heavy rain before the focus shifted to Kanto. In northern Nara Prefecture, a Level 4 landslide danger warning was issued as rain continued. In Ikoma, Nara Prefecture, a river overflowed and homes were flooded above floor level.

Residents in Ikoma said the water rose suddenly, leaving tatami mats and furniture soaked and forcing them into cleanup work after the water receded. One resident said the water rose in an instant and reached around the doorway. Another said tatami mats floated up as water remained beneath the floor.

In Osaka’s Ikuno Ward, water gushed from multiple manholes at once. The surge is believed to have occurred after large amounts of rainwater entered the sewer system, leaving the water with nowhere to go and forcing it upward through the manholes.

In Kyoto, the Kamo River, which runs through the center of the city, swelled after continued rain. A Level 4 flood danger warning was temporarily issued, underscoring how quickly urban rivers can rise during intense rainfall.

Landslides and slope failures were reported in several prefectures. In Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, a road collapsed, with asphalt and a guardrail falling away. In Suwa, Nagano Prefecture, a stone wall at a private home collapsed over a stretch of about 15 meters. A resident said the collapse sounded like thunder.

In Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, part of a hillside behind homes gave way, sending soil, trees and debris into a residential area. Soil flowed into two homes and debris reached nearby roads. No injuries were reported, but the damage left parts of the area difficult to pass.

In Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture, a 72-year-old newspaper delivery worker was found dead in an irrigation channel on June 26. Police are investigating the possibility that he was swept away by a river swollen by heavy rain. His delivery motorcycle was found earlier with its engine still running.

In Yamaguchi Prefecture, a man in his 70s died and three people were injured after a house collapsed in a landslide. The accident occurred during the heavy rain brought by the typhoons and the seasonal rain front.

In Ehime Prefecture, two men died after getting into difficulty while stand-up paddleboarding on a river in Saijo. The river had swollen under the influence of Typhoon No. 7, according to local reporting. The incident underscored the danger of entering rivers during or soon after heavy rain, even after the peak of the weather system appears to have passed.

Typhoon No. 7 had earlier passed near the Amami Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, bringing stronger rain and wind to the region. In Amami city’s Naze district, rain and wind intensified as the storm approached. Tanegashima was also hit by large raindrops as the storm continued north.

Okinawa and Amami experienced the first direct effects of Typhoon No. 7 on June 26. Okinawa saw strong wind and rain as the storm passed near the islands, and the rain zone later shifted toward Amami, the Tokara Islands, Tanegashima and Yakushima as the typhoon moved northeast.

In Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward, shops along the Togoshi Ginza shopping street prepared for possible flooding before the worst of the rain. The area was hit by heavy rain last September, when many stores were inundated. Some shop owners said they planned to keep shutters closed to reduce the amount of water entering their premises, while others placed sandbags outside storefronts.

One shop owner said water can enter if shutters remain open during heavy rain, while closing them helps reduce the risk. At a real estate office along the shopping street, staff placed sandbags at the entrance, saying last year’s flooding had left them unable to do much at the time and had even disrupted telephone service.

The direct wind threat from the two typhoons was limited compared with the rainfall impact. Winds were strongest mainly near coastal areas and around the Izu Islands, while inland Kanto avoided the kind of widespread wind damage that can accompany stronger typhoons. However, saturated ground contributed to fallen trees, and rough seas remained a hazard along exposed coasts.

Drivers are being urged not to enter flooded roads. Even shallow-looking water can hide open drains, displaced manhole covers or road damage, and deeper water can cause vehicles to stall. Pedestrians are also being warned to avoid walking through floodwater unless absolutely necessary.

Authorities also warned people not to approach rivers, irrigation channels, underpasses, cliffs or coastal areas while rain and wind remained strong. Small rivers can rise quickly during short bursts of intense rain, and landslides can occur after rain has eased when the ground remains saturated.

The outlook for the coming week remains unsettled. After the typhoons moved away, many areas were expected to see some clearer weather at the beginning of the week as high pressure briefly expanded over Japan. However, the rainy season front is likely to become active again around July 1 and July 2 as it moves north and a low-pressure system travels along it.

Western and eastern Japan are expected to see another broad deterioration in weather around the middle of the week, and Kyushu in particular could again face intense rain. The front is expected to become active every two to three days, keeping western Japan prone to rain toward the following weekend.

Areas that have already seen heavy rain may remain vulnerable to landslides and river rises if additional rain falls before the ground has had time to dry. This is especially true in parts of Chiba, Shizuoka, Yamanashi and western Japan where rainfall totals were high during the double-typhoon event.

For Kanto on June 28, the immediate concern is not another direct typhoon hit but lingering rainy-season instability. With clouds widespread, rain clouds moving in from the west and saturated ground remaining after record rain in Chiba, residents are being urged to keep checking the latest weather information and remain alert for sudden showers, slippery roads and delayed landslide or flooding risks.

The double-typhoon event has now largely ended, but its effects remain visible across Japan in flooded roads, loosened slopes, fallen trees and swollen rivers. With the rainy season still active, authorities are urging residents not to treat the passing of the storms as the end of the danger.

Source: NTV News