Typhoon Khanun pounded Japan's southwestern Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures with heavy rain and gusty winds for a second straight day on Thursday, leaving two dead and moving so slowly its damaging impact could be prolonged.
Khanun, which means "jackfruit" in Thai, was heading slowly northwest in the East China Sea as of early afternoon, with sustained winds of 162 kph (100 mph) and gusts of up to 234 kph (145 mph), the Japan Meteorological Agency said, adding that they no longer forecast it to directly hit China.
An elderly woman in Okinawa died when her house apparently caught fire because she was using candles since the power had failed, NHK public television said. The other fatality was a man in his 90s crushed when a garage collapsed.
At least 62 people in Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures were injured, NHK added.
With power lines down, roughly 166,000 households in Okinawa, a tropical island chain some 1,600 km (1,000 miles) southwest of Japan's capital Tokyo, had lost electricity as of Thursday morning, Okinawa Electric Power said - roughly 25% of the total, but down from Wednesday.
Naha Airport, located in Okinawa's capital city and the main gateway to the popular tourist destination, resumed operations on Thursday after shutting down for two days. Still, 304 flights were cancelled, the transport ministry said.
The storm is predicted to make a sudden, sharp turn to the east on Friday and start heading for Japan's main islands - a situation that a JMA official said was unusual.
"Turning to the east isn't that odd, but turning so suddenly and sharply is," he said, declining to give his name in accordance with agency policy.
"When storms move gradually to the east, they also trend northwards as well, meaning they weaken since the air and surface water temperatures go down. But staying to the south - as this one may do - makes it easier to maintain its strength."
He added that it was far too early to predict whether the Japanese capital of Tokyo might be affected, but that the smallest main island of Shikoku might be.
Despite record-breaking heat in Japan, which saw its hottest July since record-keeping began in 1898, sea water temperatures are so far normal, he said.
Power supply was down for about 6,550 households in the Amami islands in Kagoshima prefecture, north of Okinawa, as of 9 a.m. (0000 GMT), according to Kyushu Electric Power. The tropical Amami chain is also likely to suffer prolonged rain.
Typhoon Khanun forced schools and businesses to shut in northern Taiwan on Thursday, with nearly 40 international flights being cancelled. The JMA official said the storm's impact there would depend on when it began turning to the east.
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023.
22 Comments
nosuke
It’s pounding? Or it’s just very windy stay safe.
tamanegi
Very sorry to hear of the two deaths. The elderly woman's circumstances were unusual though.
If you need to fix any rooftop aerials on the main islands of Japan now is the time to do it. Not once the typhoon hits.
Fighto!
Shocking news. Hearts out to all in Okinawa - stay safe.
gcFd1
sea water temperatures are so far normal, he said.
Nothing to worry about then.
Yubaru
This typhoon was NEVER forecast to "directly hit China" No meteorological agency anywhere made such a forecast!
Yubaru
It will FIRST head back to Okinawa, as of now, between Okinawa and Amami, and then turn towards Shikoku, where it may or may not make landfall.
Storm warning are in effect for late Friday and all day Saturday in Okinawa and Amami.
Kagoshima prefecture itself, outside of Yoron and Amami area, has NOT been affected directly by this typhoon YET.
Yubaru
https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/1197892
https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/1197704
el
This typhoon was NEVER forecast to "directly hit China" No meteorological agency anywhere made such a forecast!
Actually I believe both China and the JMA said it earlier this week, and before the turn eastward became clear it did look possible.
virusrex
Dozens of people injured and fatal victims by the typhoon are proof that there is plenty to be worried about for those areas that are still in the area predicted to be affected.
kaimycahl
Its sad to read that you have people who lived a good life well into their 80-90's to be taken away so suddenly by the force of nature.
Rodney
I want to retire there, but Partner says no because of the danger
BertieWooster
Rodney - good choice of a place to retire to. There is no danger. Just stay home in a typhoon.
Yubaru
If your partner is fearful of Okinawa because of typhoons, their "fear" is misplaced. Mainland Japan is far more "dangerous" potentially, due to natural disasters, than anywhere in Okinawa.
Typhoons are only "dangerous" if you go outside when you shouldn't, drive around, when you shouldnt be, climb on the roof when you shouldnt, and a few other things. But, if you stay inside, in a typical Okinawan building, steel reinforced concrete, you will be fine!
The old guy who died, had a prefab metal/wood frame building collapse on him during the storm, it was supposedly his garage, and it didnt look all that sturdy in the first place. That's a sad story, and probably totally preventable death too. But things happen.
There are a lot of folks who retire in Okinawa, dont let typhoons scare you.
gcFd1
No need to worry about the sea water temperature. You're promoting fear mongering again.
virusrex
Again, people died and dozens were affected, and at that point the typhoon still was a danger for others, having no sympathy for them is not an argument to say there is nothing to worry, it is just that, being inconsiderate of the losses and risks for others
cuddly
And this is related to no change in sea water temperature . . . .
Wait--it isn't.
virusrex
It is related to the record heat temperatures observed in Japan, it is well described how this increases the the severity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as this.
So saying that there is no need to worry is irresponsibly misleading and easy to demonstrate as false.
cuddly
Nothing in the article blames heat for the typhoon. Typhoons, by the way, have regularly been passing through Okinawa and other parts of Japan as far back as records are kept. So, that is a basic misunderstanding of the cause of this typhoon.
If you want to be scared by a yearly re-occurring natural weather event, I suggest don't visit Japan in the summer. We are used to it here.
virusrex
it is well described how this increases the the severity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as this. You ignoring something that is by now common knowledge do not justify expecting it to be repeated in every article.
Again, people died and dozens were affected, and at that point the typhoon still was a danger for others, having no sympathy for them is not an argument to say there is nothing to worry, it is just that, being inconsiderate of the losses and risks for others
cuddly
Nope.
Nothing in the article reads "this increases the the severity and frequency of extreme weather events".
So, you are just presenting your personal bias on a subject not mentioned in the article.
Again, typhoons are an annual occurrence in the region. Ignoring that basic fact is denying the science.
virusrex
Because it is already a well recognized fact, are you surprised also that articles about infections do not read that infections are caused by microbes?
Typhoons being annual do not justify making fun of the dozens of people injured and the deaths that happened because of it, and of course it is not a justification to try misleading people saying that there is "Nothing to worry about"