Typhoon Khanun is approaching the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. The wind accelerates in gusts up to 234 kilometers per hour per hour. Authorities have called for the evacuation of more than 760,000 people. Naha Airport in the southern part of the island has been closed, more than 900 flights have been canceled, media reported.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency said on Tuesday morning, local time, Typhoon Khanun was 220 kilometers southeast of Naha, the prefectural capital of the southern island. The wind near the center of the typhoon blows at a speed of up to 162 kilometers per hour, with gusts up to 234 kilometers per hour.
The US Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) said on Monday that the force of the element was equivalent to that of a category four Atlantic hurricane on a five-point ascending scale that day.
Heavy rain and high waves
The typhoon is moving at a speed of about 20 km/h in a northwesterly direction. The meteorological service predicts it will make a significant approach to land on Tuesday night into Wednesday, maintaining a very strong intensity.
Rainfall of up to 180 liters of water per square meter and waves of up to 12 meters are expected in Okinawa Prefecture over the next 24 hours.
Evacuation call for nearly 800,000 people
At least six municipalities in Okinawa prefecture have urged residents to go to shelters, NHK television reported. Authorities have called for the evacuation of more than 760,000 people. In the capital, over 315,000 people are being evacuated. people. Recordings from this city published by NHK show fallen trees on the streets. Municipal offices are closed and supermarkets have reduced working hours. So far, there is no information about the victims.
On Tuesday, an evacuation was also ordered for over 126,000 people. inhabitants of the city of Uruma in the central part of the island and 64 thousand. people in Nago in the north. A similar regulation was introduced in smaller towns. In other parts, the authorities recommend staying at home and staying away from windows.
“Many people stay in their houses because they are made of concrete,” said an official at the emergency department, quoted by AFP. “But we are asking people who live alone or in wooden houses in low-lying areas to consider taking shelter before the typhoon hits hard.”
Hundreds of flights cancelled
Naha International Airport closed, more than 900 flights canceled, Asahi TV reported.
Public transport across Okinawa has been suspended, including ferry connections to nearby islands.
Main photo source: Facebook/NOAA Satellite and Information Service