Typhoon Jangmi (also known as Typhoon No 6) moved northwards over the course of this week. From Okinawa to mainland Japan, prolonged and heavy rainfall led to landslide warnings and the flooding of rivers, with Japan issuing level 4 warnings for some rivers, signalling a risk of overflowing. This level is high enough for municipalities to issue evacuation orders. Three-hourly rainfall totals on Wednesday reached 105mm in Chiyoda, Tokyo, which was a record high for the month. Sustained wind speeds of 80mph (130kph) were recorded on Monday – making it a category 1 typhoon – bringing damage and disruption to businesses, transport, infrastructure and the environment.
By Wednesday, 23 people had been injured, 17 of whom were in Okinawa. The typhoon damaged 57 homes and led to 60,000 homes losing electricity. In addition to this, 1.52 million people were advised to evacuate by authorities. The typhoon damaged the exterior wall of Himeji Castle, a Unesco world heritage site in western Japan. The maximum recorded wind speed at Himeji was 56mph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The typhoon has now weakened into a tropical depression and has moved eastwards, away from the islands.
In the Balkans, thunderstorm warnings have been in place this week, with heavy downpours, lightning and hail expected. In Bulgaria, thunderstorms have spread across the west of the country, including the capital, Sofia, and surrounding regions. Warnings for heavy downpours and thunderstorms were issued for much of the area. Near the village of Kresna in the south-western mountainous region of the country, a worker was struck by lightning after weather conditions deteriorated through the morning on Thursday. Downpours led to widespread flooding, with people reporting flooded homes and basements. Daily rainfall totals of 30-35mm were expected on Thursday, with some local totals possibly of 45-50mm. In Romania, warnings have also been issued for thunderstorms, heavy showers, hail and high wind speeds. Authorities warned of gusts of up to 45mph, and heavy rainfall that may exceed 30-40mm an hour in some locations.