1934 Muroto typhoon

File:1934 Typhoon Muroto damage at Shitenno-ji.jpg

Damaged at Shitenno Pagoda Temple, Osaka, Japan, by 1934 Typhoon Muroto

File:1934 Typhoon Muroto damage at Nishijin.jpg

Damaged at Nishijin area, Kyoto, by 1934 Typhoon Muroto

In 1934 Typhoon Muroto (室戸台風, Muroto Taifū) was a violent typhoon that hit Japan. It landed at Cape Muroto of Kochi Prefecture around 5 a.m. on September 21, 1934, and then it landed again between Osaka and Kobe around 8 a.m. It has also been called Kansai Fuusuigai (関西風水害, Kansai Area Typhoon and Flood).

Storm statistics

The typhoon was accompanied by a high tidal wave of more than 4 metres (13 ft) with wind speeds of 60 metres per second (130 mph). This wind speed was a world record at the time. When the typhoon went ashore in the vicinity of Cape Muroto, an atmospheric pressure of 911.6 hectopascals (26.92 inHg) was recorded. This was also a world record at the time.

Victims

Casualties from the storm included 2,702 dead, 334 missing, and 14,994 wounded. The high tide went as far as the Osaka Castle, and it was estimated that more than 1,900 people were drowned in the Osaka Bay. Some wooden primary schools were severely damaged, but concrete school buildings were not affected. Most of the people killed or wounded were inside the school buildings. A Hansen's disease sanatorium was also damaged with 187 people killed. The surviving patients were transferred to other sanatoriums and then later were transferred to Oku-Komyo-En Sanatorium.

Further information: Oku-Komyo-En Sanatorium

References

• 大阪市『昭和大阪市史 第六巻 社会篇』、1953年
• 大阪市『昭和大阪市史 第七巻 文化篇』、1953年
• 大阪府『大阪府風水害誌』、1936年
• 大阪管区気象台編『大阪の気象百年』、日本気象協会関西本部、1982年
• 兵庫県『昭和九年風水害誌』 1935年