Typhoon Khanun Hammers Okinawa Japan 200K Homes Without Power

High winds from Typhoon Khanun struck power lines in Japan’s famous vacation destination Okinawa on Wednesday morning, knocking out power to more than 200,000 households as fierce and slow-moving typhoon Khanun approached the country’s southern islands.

So far, there has been one death and 11 injuries reported. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, a guy was crushed under a fallen garage and went into cardiac arrest. According to media accounts, he died.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) ordered over 700,000 people in the tropical prefecture, a major vacation destination 1,600 km (1,000 miles) southwest of Japan’s capital Tokyo, to evacuate, as the storm moved northwest at 10 kph (6.2 mph).

According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, a guy was crushed under a fallen garage and went into cardiac arrest. According to media sources, he died subsequently.

According to its website, Okinawa Electric Power (9511.T) reported 212,530 households, or 34% of all residences covered, were without power as of 10:55 a.m. Japan time (0155 GMT).

Kyushu Electric electricity (9508.T) reported that electricity was off for 10,030 homes in Kagoshima prefecture, north of Okinawa.

The power loss has interrupted phone and internet connectivity in some sections of Okinawa, according to mobile operators SoftBank Corp (9434.T) and KDDI (9433.T).
On Wednesday, the airport in Naha, Okinawa’s capital city, was completely closed for the second day. On Tuesday and Wednesday, 951 flights were cancelled, and 35 ferry services were suspended, according to Japan’s transportation ministry.

Okinawa’s prefecture government office, San-A Co’s (2659.T) local supermarkets, and Aeon Co’s (8267.T) food and drug stores were all closed on Wednesday.

The hurricane strikes during the peak summer tourist season, which has seen visitor numbers rebound to pre-pandemic levels this year. Typhoons hit Okinawa regularly, but usually later in the year.

The majority of US soldiers in Japan are stationed on Okinawa, and workers at Kadena Air Base, one of the largest locations, have been told to take all required precautions.

Taiwan Prepares for Typhoon Khanun

The JMA forecasts Typhoon Khanun to continue westward through the East China Sea towards China’s Zhejiang province and north of Taiwan by Friday, but then veer northeastward, potentially affecting Japan’s Kyushu island.

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) has issued a sea warning for Typhoon Khanun, indicating that the storm will disrupt waters to the north of Taiwan as it gets closer to the island.

The typhoon, which has a current radius of 280 kilometres, has moved closer to northern Taiwan than expected, necessitating the maritime warning, according to CWB forecaster Lin Ting-yi () on Tuesday afternoon.

A land warning may also be issued when the typhoon approaches Taiwan on Thursday and Friday, depending on the direction it takes, according to Lin.

Khanun was about 650 kilometres east of Taipei at 8 p.m. Tuesday, heading west-northwest at 12 kilometres per hour.

According to CWB statistics, it had maximum sustained winds of 162 kph and gusts of up to 198 kph.

Because of the effects of Khanun’s outer periphery, all of Taiwan can expect showers from Wednesday to Friday, with the heaviest rain falling on Thursday and Friday in northern Taiwan and hilly areas in the centre and south, according to Lin.

On Tuesday night and Wednesday, the CWB warned of swells along Taiwan’s beaches, as well as strong gusts of up to 102 kph on the north coast, the Hengchun Peninsula in the south, and outlying Orchid and Green Islands.

Typhoon Khanun strikes just days after typhoon Doksuri blasted northern China in one of the strongest storms in over a decade, causing rice production in the Philippines to suffer.