Typhoon No. 15, known as Chan-hon, weakened into a tropical depression on Wednesday morning [4].
The downgrade follows a period of intense weather that caused physical injuries and structural damage across the Kanto region, highlighting the persistent danger of wind-driven debris even as storm systems lose their typhoon status.
Local authorities said that three women [1], aged between their 50s and 80s [2], sustained minor injuries in Ibaraki Prefecture [1]. The injuries occurred as strong winds and heavy rain associated with the system caused various objects to collapse.
In Ibaraki, the winds were strong enough to knock down trees and cause a construction scaffold to collapse [2]. Similar disruptions were reported in other parts of the region, including Adachi-ku in Tokyo, and the area surrounding Utsunomiya Station in Tochigi Prefecture [1].
Near Utsunomiya Station, the storm's impact was visible in the fall of a large tree. The fallen tree measured approximately 10 meters tall and one meter in diameter [3].
Weather officials said the system was formally downgraded to a tropical depression at 9:00 AM local time on Wednesday the 12th [4]. Despite the change in classification, the system continued to bring heavy rain and wind to the affected prefectures [2].
“Three women, aged between their 50s and 80s, sustained minor injuries in Ibaraki Prefecture.”
The transition of Typhoon No. 15 into a tropical depression demonstrates that the risk to public safety remains significant even after a storm's peak intensity. The injuries to elderly residents and the collapse of construction scaffolding underscore the vulnerability of urban infrastructure and aging populations to high-wind events in the Kanto region.
