Latest Information on Typhoon No. 10 and Disaster Countermeasures

As of 11:00 AM on August 30, 2024, Typhoon No. 10 (Shanshan) has a storm zone extending from northern Kyushu to the Chugoku and Shikoku regions and is moving slowly to the northeast.
Kyushu is experiencing severe weather, and Shikoku is also seeing torrential rain.
Moving at a very slow pace, so slow that one might wonder if it is stalling, Typhoon No. 10 is currently moving north at 10 km/h near the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture as of 11:00 AM.
The atmospheric pressure is 994 hPa, and the maximum wind speed is 20 m/s.
It is reported that a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 51.5 m/s was recorded in Makurazaki City, Kagoshima Prefecture, as of yesterday evening...

Forecast track of Typhoon No. 10 for the next few days

In the following regions, there is a risk that 'linear precipitation zones' will form, causing the probability of disaster occurrence to rise sharply.
・Kagoshima Prefecture and Miyazaki Prefecture: Morning of the 30th
・Northern Kyushu and Yamaguchi Prefecture: Afternoon of the 30th
・Tokushima Prefecture, Ehime Prefecture, and Kochi Prefecture: Night of the 30th
・Gifu Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, and Mie Prefecture: Night of the 29th to morning of the 30th

Damage caused by tornadoes has occurred in Miyazaki Prefecture.
Please continue to be alert for tornadoes and lightning strikes.
Additionally, the Japan Meteorological Agency is calling for vigilance against the following disasters:
・Violent winds
・Landslides
・Inundation
・Flooding of rivers
・Storm surges and high waves
Source: NHK Typhoon No. 10 Latest Situation

Damage in the Kansai and Kanto regions

The typhoon is expected to reach the Kansai and Kanto regions around 3:00 PM on the 31st, and people are being urged to be on alert for disaster-level violent winds and high waves from 6:00 PM on the 29th through the 31st.
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency

Typhoon Countermeasures

This Typhoon No. 10 (Shanshan) was initially predicted to be one of the strongest, with atmospheric pressure in the low 900 hPa range. (It is currently 994 hPa.)
By the way, the world's strongest typhoon was 895 hPa.
(Typhoon No. 15, which destroyed steel pillars at a golf course in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture in 2019, was 960 hPa.)
Just because the pressure is not low does not mean you should let your guard down; doing so can be fatal.
Take the measures listed below to prepare for disasters.

Inundation Countermeasures

・Cleaning drains and gutters around your home
If debris accumulates in drains, roads can easily become flooded.
Clean them to prevent flooding.
(During a disaster, help your neighbors. The spirit of mutual aid is important.)

・Placement of sandbags
Even if you clean the drains and gutters as mentioned above, if you are still worried about flooding, stack sandbags in locations prone to flooding (on the outdoor side) to prevent water from entering your home.

・Preparation for flooding
Of course, even if you take the above measures, flooding may still occur.
You might wake up in the morning to find the first floor flooded, so take the following two measures:
'Move important items to a high location or the second floor'
'Unplug electrical outlets located near the floor'
⇒ Electrical leakage can easily lead to secondary disasters, somake sure to at least take thorough measures against electrical leakage.

Countermeasures against flying objects

If your parking space does not have a shutter or roof, flying objects may hit your car or the exterior walls of your home, causing damage.
Bring bicycles, flowerpots, and other items kept outdoors inside your home. (If they cannot be brought inside, secure them with ropes, etc.)
If you have ground-embedded poles like those in the image below, you won't have to worry about them being blown away by strong winds.

Countermeasures against window glass shattering

Apply shatterproof film (tape) to window glass, or reinforce the glass with masking tape as shown in the image below.
(If you don't have any, duct tape can be used as a substitute, but it is not recommended as it will leave residue when removed.)

For large window glass with a wide surface area, we recommend reinforcing it excessively as shown in the image below.

※The reinforcement with tape mentioned above is not a cure-all.
It is merely a method to minimize scattering into the room if the window glass breaks, so be sure to close your curtains or blinds.

Power Outage Information

In the Kyushu region, approximately 120,000 households are experiencing power outages. (As of 10:00 AM on August 30)
● Kagoshima Prefecture: 106,750 households
● Nagasaki Prefecture: 5,840 households
● Miyazaki Prefecture: 2,850 households
● Oita Prefecture: 1,270 households
● Saga Prefecture: 970 households
● Kumamoto Prefecture: 710 households
● Fukuoka Prefecture: 420 households

In the Kanto region, approximately 2,650 households are experiencing power outages. (As of 4:00 AM on August 30)
● Kanagawa Prefecture: 1,080 households
● Tochigi Prefecture: 1,010 households
● Chiba Prefecture: 560 households

Source: NHK Typhoon No. 10 Power Outage Information

It seems that in some areas, there is no prospect for restoration yet.

Power Outage Countermeasures

● Items to prepare
・Charging flashlights and portable radios
・Preparing dry cell batteries
・Charging mobile batteries and portable power stations
(If you own an electric vehicle, charge the car)

※If a power outage actually occurs, unplug home appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and televisions to prevent short circuits caused by appliances when power is restored.

★Please prepare the following during normal times.★
・Sharing information on evacuation routes and shelters
・Emergency food and preserved food that can be consumed without using fire (heat sources) or water
・Preparing a disaster prevention bag packed with changes of clothes and hygiene supplies

The Ultimate Disaster Countermeasure

Living in Japan, a disaster-prone country, we cannot protect ourselves tomorrow without disaster countermeasures.
Not limited to this disaster-level typhoon, earthquakes in various regions including the Nankai Trough mega-earthquake, power outages, and tsunamis... just thinking about it is depressing.
If you prepare for any disaster during normal times, it is more reassuring than having no preparation at all.

If a disaster happens tomorrow

If you have taken no measures for the house you built or bought with such effort, you will be surviving in an evacuation center until the disaster passes.
Your smartphone battery will gradually decrease.
Stored food will spoil if the refrigerator cannot be used.
Most evacuation centers do not have baths or showers.
You want to live a safe, secure, and normal life even during a disaster, don't you?

Solar Power Generation

If you have solar power generation equipment, you can generate power during the day and use your home equipment as is.
You can use electricity for televisions and gathering information, as well as charging smartphones and communication devices.
You can also regulate your body temperature by turning on the air conditioner.
If you make ice during the day and put it in the refrigerator at night, you can also maintain the freshness of food in the refrigerator.
Also, even when there is no disaster, it will be a significant saving on electricity bills.
Regarding installation costs, you can now receive subsidies, so low-cost installation is also possible.

We explain this in detail in the column below✏
●An easy-to-understand explanation of how solar power generation works! Including merits and demerits!
●What are the costs of installing solar power generation? Introducing the breakdown of costs and points to keep costs down!
●【How to secure electricity during a disaster?】 Using solar power generation and storage batteries together is recommended!

Storage Batteries

With solar power generation equipment, you can only use electricity during the day...
If you store surplus electricity from the day, you can use it at night.
This allows you to preserve food in the freezer and eat a warm dinner using an IH cooking heater or microwave.
Just being able to use lighting improves your quality of life during a disaster.
You can also receive subsidies for storage batteries, and depending on your household's electricity usage, you can recoup the cost quickly.

The following columns explain this in detail ✏
What is the optimal capacity for a home storage battery? Explaining calculation methods and how to decide capacity!
[Can't recoup the cost of storage batteries?] Explaining ways to speed up investment recovery and success stories!
What is the reason for linking solar power generation with storage batteries? Introducing points to note

EcoCute

As it is already widely used, many of you may already know, but EcoCute is a high-efficiency electric water heater.
It is a water heater that can cleverly heat and store water using nighttime electricity, which has a lower unit price.
In the event of a disaster, you cannot heat up new water if used alone, but you can still use the hot water already stored.
For disaster countermeasures,
Ene-Farm is also recommended, but EcoCute can be introduced at a lower cost than Ene-Farm and is extremely compatible with the aforementioned solar power generation and storage batteries.Above all, it is a perfect device for saving on utility costs.
Furthermore, you can receive
subsidies for it, making it an environmentally friendly piece of equipment.

The following columns explain this in detail ✏
Explaining the mechanism of EcoCute in an easy-to-understand way! Also covering pros and cons
EcoCute is useful during disasters! What should you do during power outages or earthquakes?
What is the method for linking EcoCute with solar power generation? Explaining the reasons for recommendation
Which is better, EcoCute or Ene-Farm? Explaining the differences in price and lifespan

Editor's Note

I imagine there are some of you who could not go to work due to planned suspensions or cancellations of public transportation, or who had to work remotely.
Work, family, and daily life continue even during disasters, but first and foremost is personal safety.
Let's make preparations for evacuation and power outages, and ensure our safety.
Our company provides assistance with safety measures during disasters and securing lifelines, so please feel free to consult with us.