Pacific Super Typhoon Hinnamnor becomes 2022âs strongest storm
Japanâs weather agency said that powerful Typhoon Hinnamnor is nearing several remote southern islands, prompting warnings for local residents to seek shelter before it becomes too dangerous.
As of noon Wednesday, the typhoon was packing sustained winds of 198 kph and had gusts of 270 kph, the Meteorological Agency said. It was moving west-southwest at 25 kph over waters some 160 km west of Minami-Daito Island, one of a string of remote isles that form the Okinawa region, with an atmospheric pressure of 920 hectopascals at its center.
The storm, given the agencyâs highest classification of âviolent,â is expected to threaten the islands from Wednesday evening through Friday.
Some of the islands are remote with only several hundred residents, but the region as a whole has around 1.4 million people, and the Okinawa mainland hosts most of the U.S. military bases in Japan.
The intense winds from Wednesday may cause âsome houses to collapse,â the Okinawa unit of the weather agency said.
Heavy rain and high waves will also hit the region. The agency forecast rainfall of 180 millimeters in Okinawa in the 24 hours up to Thursday morning.
âPlease exercise serious caution for violent wind. Take precautionary steps such as moving to strong buildings before strong winds begin,â the agency said.
Japan is currently in its typhoon season and is hit by around 20 such storms a year, routinely seeing heavy rains that cause landslides or flash floods.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/08/31/national/typhoon-hinnamnor-japan-islands/
