Severe Tropical Storm Man-Yi

I'm not sure how much publicity this has gotten outside of Japan, but a few days ago we had a 'severe tropical storm' (just one step down from an official typhoon) roll over Japan. It made landfall not far from Kyoto, bringing 'unprecedented levels of rainfall'. Unusually, Kyoto was one of the worst-hit prefectures. Rivers burst their banks, towns were flooded and evacuation orders were given.

I should state, however, that I AM FINE!

However, the effects could be seen quite strikingly even in downtown Kyoto and several suburbs that I know well (mainly from riding through them!) were quite badly hit.

For more info, see this Japan Times article:

Thousands ordered to evacuate as typhoon lashes nation 

Floods in Chubu, Kinki leaves at least three dead; tainted No. 1 water discharged 

The year’s 18th typhoon shot through central and northeast Honshu on Monday, unleashing torrential rain and strong winds on much of the main island, including Fukushima Prefecture, where radioactive water was discharged to prevent the troubled complex from flooding. 

After making landfall shortly before 8 a.m. near Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, the typhoon raised havoc in five prefectures spanning the Chubu and Kinki regions, triggering evacuation orders for around 498,000 residents due to the risk of mudslides and flooding. 

Warning of “unprecedented heavy rain,” the Meteorological Agency issued “special warnings” to Fukui, Kyoto and Shiga, using a new warning system launched last month for the first time. 

In Kyoto alone, some 268,000 residents were ordered to leave, including about 81,000 in Fukuchiyama. 

While the agency had lifted all of its special warnings by noon, the evacuation order in the city of Kyoto wasn’t lifted until late afternoon due to the scale of the floods. 

...

In the area around the Katsura River, which overran its banks, the flooding was so bad that Kyoto Gov. Keiji Yamada asked the Self-Defense Forces for help. At one point, the famed Togetsukyo (moon crossing) Bridge in the Arashiyama district was nearly submerged as the water damaged shops and homes in the area. 

In addition, Kyoto residents reported damage along the banks near the Sanjo Ohashi bridge, the terminus of the famed Tokaido road between Kyoto and Tokyo that crosses the Kamo River downtown. 

“A popular meeting area for performances and civic demonstrations just south of the bridge on the western banks was damaged,” said British resident Michael Lambe, author of the Deep Kyoto blog, a guide to the city. 

Other businesses, including cafes and restaurants by the Kamo River, reported flooding as well. Kyoto’s bus and subway services, already strained with passengers from the three-day weekend, were disrupted. 

According to the Meteorological Agency, precipitation in the 48 hours through Monday morning reached about 300 mm in parts of the cities of Kyoto and Otsu — more than they usually get for the entire month. 

...

Transportation was snarled nationwide. Train services were suspended in parts of the Tokaido, Joetsu and Nagano bullet train lines, while expressways were closed in some areas and airline flights scrubbed.

A couple of photos of the usually very placid Kamogawa river at Sanjo bridge (mentioned in the article). The banks (a footpath!) were later strewn with mud and debris washed down by the torrent:

Top: Katsura river almost topping Arashiyama's famous bridge during peak water
Bottom: The usual state of the river!

From the Japanese Meteorological Agency website:

Map of warning/advisory areas on the morning of the storm

Rainfall figures for the hour when the rain was heaviest in Kyoto

Map of precipitation as the eye approaches the coast - beautiful map!

So, again, I am fine! I don't know anyone who was affected, actually. Things are getting back to normal, although one of the main Kyoto city subway lines is still partially closed due to flooding.

This was probably the last 'typhoon' I will experience during my time in Japan. It's definitely the most severe I've directly experienced. Quite a send-off...