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Japan prepares for 'powerful' Typhoon Vongfong Japan prepares for 'powerful' Typhoon Vongfong
(about 5 hours later)
Japan is bracing for the arrival of a powerful typhoon, Vongfong, which officials have said will be the strongest storm to hit Japan this year.Japan is bracing for the arrival of a powerful typhoon, Vongfong, which officials have said will be the strongest storm to hit Japan this year.
The storm brought heavy rain and fierce winds to the southern island of Okinawa, causing flight cancellations and power cuts to over 20,000 homes. The storm brought heavy rain and fierce winds to the southern island of Okinawa, causing dozens of injuries and power cuts to more than 20,000 homes.
It is now heading north and is expected to make landfall on Kyushu island on Monday. It is now heading north and is expected to make landfall on Kyushu island on Monday morning local time.
Earlier this week, typhoon Phanfone killed nine people in Japan. Last week, typhoon Phanfone killed nine people in Japan.
Officials have warned Vongfong could bring high waves, storm surges, flooding and landslides. Injuries
Storm tracking website Tropical Storm Risk shows Vongfong losing power over the next few days, as it moves northeast along the rest of Japan. Storm tracking website Tropical Storm Risk shows Vongfong losing power over the next few days, as it moves north-east along the rest of Japan.
It is said to be carrying winds up to 235km/h (145mph), but is moving north slowly, at 15km/h. Its current wind strength is about 111km/h (69mph), down from the 130km/h it reached as it passed over Okinawa.
At least 14 people in Okinawa and Kyushu have already been injured by the strong winds, local reports say. The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tokyo says that although Vongfong has weakened considerably, it is still a huge storm system and is carrying an enormous amount of moisture.
On Friday, an official from Japan's Meteorological Agency told Reuters news agency: "There is no question that [Vongfong] is an extremely large, extremely powerful typhoon." He says that when Vongfong hits the mountains of Kyushu it will drop hundreds of millimetres of rain that could unleash flash flooding and landslides.
"It's the strongest storm we've had this year, definitely, although it has lost some strength from its peak." Vongfong should reach the Tokyo area on Tuesday.
It has picked up strength since it went through several South Pacific islands including Guam. At least 35 people in Okinawa and Kyushu have been injured by the strong winds, reports say.
The Associated Press news agency said it caused little damage on those islands. It had caused brief power outages and there were no reports of deaths or injuries. Vongfong had been categorised a super-typhoon as it picked up strength through several South Pacific islands, including Guam.
Last week parts of Japan were hit by Typhoon Phanfone, though that storm had rapidly lost power by the time it hit Tokyo on Monday. Last week parts of Japan were hit by Typhoon Phanfone, though that storm had rapidly lost power by the time it hit Tokyo.
Japan's Kyodo news agency said nine people are now known to have been killed by Phanfone, including three US military servicemen in Okinawa who were washed out to sea. Their bodies have since been recovered.Japan's Kyodo news agency said nine people are now known to have been killed by Phanfone, including three US military servicemen in Okinawa who were washed out to sea. Their bodies have since been recovered.