Typhoon Khanun eases off Japan's Okinawa, but islands brace for return

Okinawa Electric Power

04/08/2023 01:59

TOKYO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Typhoon Khanun barely moved on
Friday in the East China Sea, with predictions that it will
approach Japan's Okinawa islands again, raising fears of
sustained damage in areas already battered by heavy rain and
strong winds over the past two days.
    The storm has lost strength but is still packing winds of 
126 kph (78 mph) and gusts of up to 180 kph, the Japan
Meteorological Agency said, adding that the typhoon was almost
stationary.
    Hovering about 270 km (168 miles) north-northwest of
Okinawa's Miyako Island as of 7 a.m. (2200 GMT), Khanun is
forecast to make a sudden, sharp turn to the east on Friday
evening and start heading up north toward Japan's main islands
next Tuesday.  
    About 53,000 households in Okinawa, or about 8% of homes
covered, remained stuck without electricity for a third day,
down from 25% on Thursday, local utility Okinawa Electric Power
 9511.T  said.
    Television footage on Thursday showed tourists stranded in
Okinawa flocked to Naha Airport, which resumed operation that
day after shutting down for two days, forming long queues to buy
airplane tickets to leave the islands. 
    In northern Taiwan, land warnings were lifted on Friday and
businesses and schools that were shut on Thursday due to the
typhoon reopened. In the capital Taipei, more than 200 trees and
street signs were downed, but no major damage was reported.
    Authorities, however, were on high alert for more heavy rain
to be dumped in the wake of the typhoon over the weekend in
central and southern Taiwan, where close to a half meter of
rainfall has been recorded.
    

 (Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama in Tokyo; Additional reporting
by Yimou Lee in Taipei; Editing by Sonali Paul)
 ((Satoshi.Sugiyama@thomsonreuters.com))