Published on 6/26/2026
Japan and Taiwan are facing a strong wave of weather disturbances following the approach of Hurricane Mikala, amid official alert in both countries to confront the repercussions of the tropical storm.
Hurricane Mekala, currently classified as a tropical storm, is approaching the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan after passing through Taiwan and causing heavy rains in parts of it, especially the southern regions of Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Pingtung.
Japanese alert
The hurricane prompted Japanese authorities to evacuate more than two million people today, Friday, and issue warnings of floods and landslides as Hurricane Micala approaches, and hundreds of flights and trains are canceled.
This comes as Typhoon Mikala approaches the main island in Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost part of Japan, on Friday morning, and is expected to approach the Amami Islands area in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwest of the country, at night.
The seventh hurricane this year was seen moving towards the northeast, off the coast of the Pacific Ocean from the Kyushu region in the southwest of the country to the Kanto region in the east of the country last Saturday, according to the Japanese news agency JJ Press, today.
The Japanese Land Ministry said that the country has already canceled more than 200 flights, suspended dozens of train services, and closed a number of highways.
Heavy rains are expected in many parts of the country as well, given that a monsoon front extends from east to west of the country.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency warned of the possibility of landslides and floods in low-lying areas and rising river levels.
It is noteworthy that the peak period for typhoons in Japan officially extends from June to November, but the greatest risks are usually concentrated between August and October.
Taiwan in the face of the typhoon
This comes after the hurricane struck neighboring Taiwan, causing heavy rains and severe floods that led to the closure of schools and offices, depriving about 6 million people from going to work and school.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s three regional governments ordered the closure of offices and schools on Friday, and severe flooding in Tainan led to the closure of part of the main railway linking the island’s north and south.
About 6 million people live in the three Taiwanese regions and the city of Hsinchu, all of which are affected places. No casualties have been reported in Taiwan, but authorities in Hualien County are working to evacuate nearly 200 residents of two towns located at the mouth of a lake in the mountains that is filling up quickly.
It is expected that rain will continue to fall on Taiwan during at least the next week, but it will gradually ease.
Rain is not entirely a bad thing for Taiwan because it relies on the usual typhoon seasons of summer and fall to fill its reservoirs after usually dry winters.
