Bernard Delattre (Japan correspondent) / Photo credit: MASAKI AKIZUKI / YOMIURI / THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN VIA AFP
modified to
06:41, August 14, 2023
Typhoon Lan is about to hit Honshu, Japan’s most populous island on Monday. In the capital, in Tokyo, the authorities are on alert as are the inhabitants. This new typhoon comes as all of Japan is plagued by numerous destructive natural phenomena.
In October 2019, Typhoon Hagibis damaged 60,000 homes in Japan. At the time, the gusts had reached 260 kilometers per hour. Will Typhoon Lan be as devastating? Many residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are very worried as the typhoon is expected to hit the coast on Monday.
Fear that the 2019 scenario will happen again
The observation is clear among many Japanese: they do not want to relive the disaster of 2019. “I live in a wooden house that dates from the last century. Will it hold up? Extremely violent winds are announced”, deplores an octogenarian, particularly worried.
Lacking food, being deprived of water, even electricity. It is the obsession of Tokyoites. “I stocked up on bread, rice and instant noodles. In 2019, I couldn’t leave my house for three days because the elements were so raging,” said a resident of the capital. Another adds: “I filled my bathtub and several buckets to the brim. If ever the water should be cut off.”
Four years ago, more than 450,000 homes lost power and it took 12 days to restore power across the region.