TOKYO - Typhoon No. 22, classified as a very strong system, made a direct hit on the Izu Islands, leaving widespread damage across the region. On Hachijo Island, located about 300 kilometers south of Tokyo, the storm brought record-breaking rainfall and violent winds, leaving residents stunned by the destruction.
From early morning on October 9, torrential rain reduced visibility to near zero as wind-driven sheets of rain battered the island. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that more than 120 millimeters of rain fell within an hour, with maximum gusts reaching 54.7 meters per second. Power outages affected approximately 6,480 households across the island.
At Hachijo View Hotel, only emergency lights were functioning before dawn, and the dining area ceiling began leaking heavily. Staff members used buckets and flashlights to contain the water, but it quickly flooded the floor. “This is the worst we’ve ever seen,” one hotel employee said. “The leaks have started in several other areas too.”
Another hotel reported that windows in its restaurant were shattered by strong gusts, while puddles formed throughout the building. The JMA downgraded the special heavy rain warning for Hachijo Town to a standard heavy rain alert by the afternoon, but severe conditions continued.
When residents ventured outside after the storm, they found scenes of devastation. A ramen shop had its roof torn off and walls destroyed, exposing its frame. “I never imagined the roof would be blown away,” said the shop owner. “I’m lost for words… I was prepared for some damage, but this is overwhelming.”
In one parking lot, a small car was flipped and hurled onto the road by the fierce wind. “Something like a tornado must have passed,” said the owner. “My car was completely overturned. It’s beyond repair.”
A company president described how the walls of his materials yard were blown off and plywood flooring soaked through. “The wood is completely ruined,” he said.
Fallen trees also blocked multiple roads, with several large trunks completely cutting off access. “It’s terrible,” said one long-time resident. “I’ve lived here 80 years and never seen anything like this.” Streetlights along the sidewalks were also bent out of shape by the wind.
On nearby Aogashima Island, the garage roof of a house was ripped off. “Small stones came flying like machine-gun fire,” one resident recalled. “They shattered two windows — it was terrifying.”
While Typhoon No. 22 left behind significant destruction, meteorologists are now warning that a new storm, Typhoon No. 23, has formed south of Japan. It is expected to approach Okinawa between October 10 and 11 before tracking north toward Honshu over the three-day holiday weekend.
Meanwhile, several hotels on Hachijo Island have suspended operations due to severe damage. Hachijo Park Hotel reported that the roofs of its second-floor dining hall and large bath area were completely torn off. “This is the first time in 55 years of operation we’ve experienced such damage,” a staff member said. “We want to inform guests with upcoming reservations that we cannot accommodate them, but with both electricity and Wi-Fi down, we have no way to reach them.”
Source: FNN
