Powerful typhoon approaches Japan with violent winds and heavy rain

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  Typhoon Haishen barreling toward the Okinawa islands in southern Japan on Saturday, prompting warnings about torrential rainfall and fierce wind gusts. AP

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  A man takes pictures as he walks along the coast as Typhoon Haishen approaches in Makurazaki, Kagoshima prefecture. AFP

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  A man takes pictures of the coast as Typhoon Haishen approaches in Makurazaki, Kagoshima prefecture. AFP

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  Waves crash on the coast as Typhoon Haishen approaches in Makurazaki, Kagoshima prefecture. AFP

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  High waves are generated off the coast of the city of Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea, as Typhoon Haishen approaches the Korean Peninsula. EPA

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  A fisherman tighten a rope to anchor his fishing boat with his colleague's boats in preparation for powerful typhoon Haishen in Makurazaki, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. EPA

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  People have dinner in a restaurant before Typhoon Haishen approaches in Kagoshima, Kagoshima prefecture. AFP

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  People barricade a house before Typhoon Haishen approaches in Kagoshima, Kagoshima prefecture. AFP

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  A man barricades a pharmacy before Typhoon Haishen approaches in Kagoshima, Kagoshima prefecture. AFP

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  A man barricades his hair salon before Typhoon Haishen approaches in Makurazaki, Kagoshima prefecture. AFP

A powerful typhoon headed toward southern Japan on Sunday, with officials warning of record rainfall and winds strong enough to snap power poles and flip vehicles.

Typhoon Haishen, categorised as large and extremely strong, was expected to move in the afternoon through the Amami region of small islands near Kyushu that separate the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea.

At noon (6am UAE time), Haishen was about 80 kilometres east of Amami Oshima island, with gusts up to 234 kilometres per hour.

The storm was forecast to head north-northwest and travel off the western coast of Kyushu – one of Japan’s main islands – from the evening until early on Monday before reaching South Korea, Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Once the storm comes near inhabited islands, its violent winds might become strong enough to snap power poles and flip vehicles, meteorologists said.

The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was scheduled to hold a special cabinet meeting later on Sunday to discuss ways to deal with the approaching typhoon.

The weather agency said it was not likely to issue its most serious typhoon warning, but asked residents to still exercise the utmost caution and prepare for possible record rain, violent wind, extreme waves and surging tides.

“In areas where the typhoon will draw close, record-level rainfall is expected. It may cause landslides or it could cause even large rivers to flood,” Yoshihisa Nakamoto, director of the forecast division at the weather agency, said during a televised briefing.

He said surging tides may cause widespread flooding in low-lying areas, particularly around river mouths.

Hundreds of thousands of residents of Kyushu have been advised to seek safety at shelters, including all of 250,000 residents of Kagoshima city and 36,600 residents of Goto City in Nagasaki, which the typhoon may hit directly.

Some residents have chosen to stay in local hotels rather than risk catching the coronavirus at crowded public shelters such as schools and community centres, local media reported.

Local governments also suggested that affected residents should think of ways to avoid crowded places if possible.

The storm has forced the cancellation of nearly 550 flights, national broadcaster NHK said.

In Kagoshima, 21,360 households have lost power, as have 3,560 households in Okinawa, local utilities providers said.

Toyota said it would suspend operations at three plants in Kyushu until Monday evening, while other companies, including Canon and Mitsubishi Electric, reportedly planned to take similar measures.

Haishen also forced the Japanese coastguard to suspend its search for dozens of missing sailors from a cargo ship that sank in a separate storm, after two crew members were rescued.

The Gulf Livestock 1, carrying 43 crew and 6,000 cows, issued a distress call on Wednesday near Amami Oshima as Typhoon Maysak passed through the area.

But patrol ships have remained in the sea so the search can resume after Haishen leaves the region, a duty officer said.