Typhoon #18
September 8, 2004
It was the worst typhoon to hit Sapporo in 50 years, perhaps the worst ever. When I went out at about 3:00 in the afternoon, once the wind had died down, I came across these branches blocking part of the street. They were like one I had earlier watched during the height of the storm snappped from a tree across the street and blown into the road, later to be moved by neighbors to the sidewalk.
As I walked towards the park, I saw trees snapped like toothpicks.
No warning sign could have prepared us for this.
At least 2400 trees were blown over in Sapporo during the typhoon of September 8, 2004. The force of the wind, uprooting pavement along with trees, was unexpected by meteorologists. Elsewhere in the city, lightpoles, traffic signals, vending machines, and even trucks were blown over.
Destruction near Kitara Hall | Destruction on Path around Lake
Destruction near Horohirabashi Subway Station