Storm Maria lashes Japan with intense rainfall, cancelling flights and sending thousands to shelters

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Tropical storm Maria caused widespread disruptions across northern Japan, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents, halting transportation, and leading to emergency warnings.

The slow-moving storm, which has now weakened but still dangerous, made landfall as severe near Ofunato City in Iwate prefecture on Monday morning, bringing intense rainfall and strong winds.

As of Monday afternoon, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported winds up to 72kph (45mph) as Maria moved northwest at a speed of 20kph (12mph) across the Tohoku region.

This is only the third tropical storm to make landfall on Tohoku’s Pacific coast since records began.

Up to 46cm (18in) of rain has fallen over the past two days in the Iwate city of Kuji. Despite weakening, Maria’s slow pace means the region could face prolonged rainfall, with up to 25cm (9.8in) more expected through Tuesday morning.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency asked 170,000 residents across Iwate, Aomori, and Miyagi prefectures to evacuate, with about 2,000 people taking shelter in Iwate by early Monday.

In the city of Kuji, an emergency Level 5 warning was issued for parts of the Nagauchi and Kokuji areas, affecting 4,177 households and 8,300 people, as a controlled release of water from the Taki Dam threatened potential flooding.

Prime minister Fumio Kishida has pledged rapid government support for those affected.

The prefecture of Iwate initiated an emergency water release into a river to prevent a dam from overflowing, further heightening the risk of flooding in riverside towns like Osanai and Kuji.

The storm has also severely impacted transportation. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have cancelled some flights to and from the region, with further disruptions expected into Tuesday.

Public transportation is also affected, with services on the Akita Shinkansen suspended between Morioka and Akita stations. The Tohoku and Yamagata Shinkansen lines, along with expressways in the region, may also experience closures or delays, according to JR East and the East Nippon Expressway Company.

Maria’s impact on Japan’s infrastructure is significant, particularly during the Obon holiday, a time when many people travel to commemorate their ancestors.

Footage from NHK public television shows muddy waters flooding rivers in towns like Iwaizumi, where a 2016 typhoon claimed nine lives.

A woman who was at an Iwaizumi shelter told NHK that she came early as she learned a lesson from the last typhoon, which destroyed her house, The Associated Press reported.

Last week, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake jolted Japan, triggering tsunami warnings for a number of the country’s western islands and causing mostly minor injuries.