Typhoon Threatens Asian Games in Nagoya as Athletes Could Be Evacuated

A New Challenge for the Games

The Asian Games in Nagoya are facing a serious weather threat just as the event is about to begin. A major typhoon is moving toward the Aichi-Nagoya coast, and Japanese authorities have said athletes may need to be temporarily evacuated if the storm becomes severe. This comes on top of an ongoing accommodation crisis that has already caused delays and complaints from several countries.

Typhoon Dujuan Approaches

Tropical storm Dujuan was moving toward central Japan on Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of around 90 kmph and gusts reaching up to 126 kmph. The storm is expected to approach the Aichi-Nagoya region on September 21, just two days after the Games officially open on Saturday. 

Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, who is also deputy president of the Games, said the competition would continue under normal rainy conditions. However, he warned that emergency measures would be triggered if torrential rain led to evacuation alerts. Under normal rainy conditions, the Games will carry on as usual. But in the event of torrential rain that triggers emergency alerts, authorities will arrange for athletes to evacuate temporarily.

Contingency Plans for the Cruise Ship

Authorities also have a plan for the Costa Serena, an Italian cruise ship that has been brought in to accommodate thousands of athletes and officials. If the winds reach typhoon strength, the ship will leave the dock and move offshore to safer waters. The mayor said that if they encounter typhoon-level strong winds, the cruise ship will move offshore. He added that clear protocols are already in place for these situations.

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Recent Flooding Already Caused Disruption

The typhoon threat comes only days after Nagoya was hit by torrential rain that flooded parts of the city. Several hundred athletes and officials had to temporarily evacuate their accommodation, and some competitions were delayed or postponed because of the severe weather. With the Games now just hours away from their official opening, the latest weather threat adds another complication to an event that has already faced questions over how it is housing its unusually large contingent.

The Accommodation Controversy Explained

The Aichi-Nagoya Games have got off to a difficult start, with many athletes facing unprecedented delays. South Korea has complained about the quality of the accommodation, while India has criticised the heavy delays athletes have faced in finding their rooms. According to authorities in Nagoya, the Asian Games were originally expected to have around 15,000 athletes and officials. That number eventually rose to about 17,000 after new sports were added to the programme.

The Olympic Council of Asia argued that constructing a permanent village would have been expensive and could have left Nagoya with a white elephant after the Games. Instead, athletes and officials are being spread across hotels, temporary shipping-container-style accommodation, and the Costa Serena cruise ship. Around 4,000 participants are expected to stay on the ship, while another 2,000 will be accommodated in temporary huts around the port area.

Complaints from Athletes and Officials

The unconventional system has already led to complaints. Athletes have raised concerns about cramped conditions and undersized beds. Team Japan revealed that some male and female athletes, coaches, and officials had been assigned to shared rooms because of the pressure on available accommodation. 

There were also delays in activating credentials when the cruise ship accommodation opened, leaving some athletes waiting for several hours before they could complete the entry process. Japan’s Olympic Committee had prepared hotel rooms in the city as a backup and was considering using them where existing arrangements proved difficult.

Organisers Defend Their Approach

The Olympic Council of Asia has defended the decision not to build an Athletes’ Village, saying organisers had to balance the cost of the Games with what would happen to the facility once the competition was over. OCA Director General Husain Al-Musallam said it is very easy to insist on an Athletes’ Village, but you build it, spend a lot of money, and then need to see what happens after the closing ceremony and how it will be used. 

The next two Asian Games, in Doha and Riyadh, will have traditional Athletes’ Villages. However, Tayyab Ikram, head of the OCA Coordination Commission for Aichi-Nagoya, said such a facility is not mandatory for the Games. Japan’s organisers have maintained that all 17,000 athletes and officials will have accommodation, despite the logistical difficulties.

A Practical Approach

Organisers argue that building a conventional Games Village for a short-term event could create a much larger problem after the competition ends. Al-Musallam said that considering the cost and size of the Games, they need to be a little flexible. He added that the Athletes’ Village is good to look at, but at the end of the day, they need to be practical. 

Local organisers also said they were forced to adjust after the number of participants increased from the original estimate of 15,000 to around 17,000. Al-Musallam explained that the choice was either to sacrifice the athletes or pay high costs. They chose not to sacrifice the athletes and want every athlete to have the possibility and chance to compete.

What Comes Next

With the typhoon approaching and the Games about to begin, organisers are monitoring the weather closely. The next few days will be critical. If the storm intensifies, athletes may need to be evacuated from their accommodation, including the cruise ship. The accommodation issues may also continue to cause problems, but organisers insist they are doing everything possible to ensure all participants have a place to stay for the Asian Games.