Tropical Storm Chan-hom moved westward on Wednesday after making landfall in the greater Tokyo region the previous night, causing downed trees and leaving thousands of homes without power. Five individuals suffered minor injuries.
The storm, significantly weakened after its landfall in southern Ibaraki prefecture late Tuesday, was located near Gifu in central Japan early Wednesday as it continued its path toward Wakasa Bay on Japan's north-central coast. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that Chan-hom was packing sustained winds of 64 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour).
In Tokyo, commuter trains and flights were operating normally, and daily business largely continued as usual. However, the agency issued warnings for heavy rain and thunder across northern and western Japan throughout the day.
The storm's impact included more than 3,000 homes losing electricity in Ibaraki and its neighboring Tochigi prefecture, according to TEPCO Power Grid. The five slightly injured individuals included two men in the northern prefecture of Iwate and three women in Ibaraki, prefecture officials stated.
Chan-hom's arrival coincided with Japan's Obon holiday week, a Buddhist observance honoring ancestral spirits, affecting many travelers. The landfall in Ibaraki on Tuesday marked the first time a storm or typhoon had made landfall in the prefecture since record-keeping began in 1951.
This event follows Typhoon Dolphin, which recently caused disruptions in southern Japan, paralyzing traffic and prompting hundreds to seek shelter. After weakening to a tropical storm, Dolphin was responsible for 10 deaths in the Philippines and caused flooding in China, leading to the relocation of hundreds of thousands.
