Amid mismanagement, Typhoon alert threatens to derail Asian Games 2026 at Aichi-Nagoya

After facing accommodation crisis ahead of the opening ceremony, Aichi-Nagoya is now bracing for another major challenge, with a possible typhoon threatening to disrupt the Asian Games 2026 and affect athletes and officials. The latest weather concerns come just days after torrential rain flooded parts of the city, disrupted transport and forced hundreds of athletes and officials to temporarily evacuate their accommodation.Organisers are preparing for possible weather-related disruption in the opening days of the multi-sport event, as Tropical Storm Dujuan is forecast to approach Japan’s central Pacific coast on Monday, September 21. The storm threat comes just days after torrential rain hit Nagoya and surrounding areas, forcing hundreds of athletes and officials to temporarily evacuate their accommodation and causing delays to some competitions.The Games officially open with the ceremony on Saturday 19th September, although football, basketball and volleyball events have already begun in the region.Organisers prepare for possible typhoonAs on Thursday, Tropical Storm Dujuan was located off Japan’s Pacific coast and moving northwest towards central Japan, where Nagoya is situated. It had maximum sustained winds of 90 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 126 kmph.Japan’s chef de mission for the Games and Japanese Olympic Committee executive board member Kosei Inoue said organisers were preparing for possible severe weather.“Due to the heavy rain and severe weather, some competitions have already experienced delays or postponements, and there is also a possibility that a typhoon could approach on September 21,” Inoue told Reuters.He added that the JOC was holding detailed meetings to ensure it could respond appropriately to changing conditions.Athletes could be evacuated if conditions worsenNagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, who is also the deputy president of the Games, said the competition would continue under normal rainy conditions, but emergency measures would be introduced if severe weather posed a risk to athletes.“Under normal rainy conditions, the Games will carry on as usual,” Hirosawa told Reuters.“However, in the event of torrential rain that triggers emergency alerts, we will arrange for the athletes to evacuate temporarily.”The organisers have also prepared a contingency plan for the Costa Serena, the Italian cruise ship being used to accommodate thousands of athletes and officials. If winds reach typhoon strength, the ship will leave the dock and move offshore to safer waters.“Additionally, if we encounter typhoon-level strong winds, the cruise ship will move offshore. We already have clear protocols in place for situations like these,” Hirosawa said.Severe rain has already disrupted preparationsThe latest weather threat follows torrential rainfall in Nagoya last week, which flooded parts of the city, disrupted train services and forced schools to close. Several hundred athletes and officials were also temporarily evacuated from their accommodation.Some competitions have already experienced delays or postponements due to the severe weather, adding pressure on organisers as the event approaches its official opening.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.