Typhoon Khanun knocks out power to one-third of Okinawa households

Okinawa Electric Power

02/08/2023 01:07

TOKYO, Aug 2 (Reuters) - High winds hit power lines in
Japan's Okinawa and knocked out electricity to more than 200,000
households on Wednesday morning, as powerful and slow-moving
typhoon Khanun neared the country's southwestern islands
threatening torrential rains.
    Hundreds of thousands of people in the tropical prefecture,
a popular tourist destination some 1,600 km (1,000 miles)
southwest of Japan's capital Tokyo, were advised to evacuate as
the storm moved northwest at speed of 10 kph (6.2 mph), 
according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
    Local utility Okinawa Electric Power  9511.T  said 218,260
households, or 34% of all houses covered, were experiencing
power outages as of 9:00 a.m. Japan time (0000 GMT), according
to its website.
    In Okinawa's capital city Naha, the airport was entirely
closed for a second day on Wednesday. More than 400 flights were
already cancelled as of morning with at least 65,000 passengers
affected, according to public broadcaster NHK.
    The storm is hitting during the peak summer tourist season,
which this year has seen the number of visitors return to
pre-pandemic levels. Okinawa is frequently hit by typhoons, but
usually later in the year.

 (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Sonali Paul)
 ((Kantaro.Komiya@thomsonreuters.com; Twitter: @kantarokomiya))