By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-08-12 03:21:54 | Updated at 2026-08-19 08:18:12
1 week ago
TOKYO – Typhoon Chan-hom lost strength and was downgraded to a tropical depression on Aug 12 after making landfall the previous night in Ibaraki Prefecture, north-east of Tokyo, the country’s weather agency said.
The 15th typhoon of 2026 took an unusual westward path, steered by winds around a stationary high-pressure system north of the Japanese archipelago, becoming the first typhoon to land in Ibaraki Prefecture since records began in 1951, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
While the typhoon weakened to a tropical depression over the Sea of Japan, the agency warned of potential flooding in lowland areas and overflowing rivers on Aug 12 in the Tohoku region in the north-east and the Kanto-Koshin region, including Tokyo, due to its lingering influence.
The agency forecast up to 150mm of rain in Tohoku, the central region of Tokai and the Kinki region in the west in the 24 hours through 6am on Aug 13, as well as up to 120mm in Kanto-Koshin.
Storm surges could be observed in western Japan through Thursday, the agency warned. KYODO NEWS
