Typhoon Jangmi, also known as Typhoon No 6, swept northwards across Japan this week, leaving 23 people injured and prompting evacuation advisories for over 1.5 million residents. The storm brought sustained winds of 80mph (130kph) and heavy rainfall, causing widespread disruption from Okinawa to mainland Japan.
In Okinawa, 17 of the 23 injuries were reported, and the typhoon damaged 57 homes, leaving 60,000 households without electricity. Landslide warnings were issued, and several rivers reached level 4 warnings, indicating a risk of overflowing. In Tokyo's Chiyoda district, three-hourly rainfall on Wednesday hit 105mm, a record for August.
The storm also damaged the exterior wall of Himeji Castle, a Unesco World Heritage site in western Japan, where maximum wind speeds reached 56mph. The typhoon has since weakened into a tropical depression and moved eastwards away from the islands.
Meanwhile, in the Balkans, thunderstorm warnings were in effect, with heavy downpours, lightning, and hail expected. In Bulgaria, a worker was struck by lightning near the village of Kresna, and widespread flooding was reported. Romania also issued warnings for thunderstorms, heavy showers, and high winds, with gusts up to 45mph and rainfall possibly exceeding 30-40mm per hour.
