Japan Braces for Supertyphoon Neoguri

This MTSAT Rainbow satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday shows Typhoon Neoguri heading towards Japan EPA/NOAA

Powerful Storm Expected to Bring Heavy Rains, Landslides, Floods

(SOURCE)  TOKYO—A large and powerful typhoon was heading northwest toward Japan’s southern islands Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, warning of heavy rains, landslides and floods.

As of Monday afternoon, Typhoon Neoguri was moving up the Pacific Ocean toward Okinawa at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour (16 miles an hour) with winds of up to 180 kph and gusts as strong as 252 kph, the agency said.

“It would be one of the largest typhoons to hit Japan in July,” said Satoshi Ebihara, the head of the agency’s weather forecast division, at a news conference.

The season’s eighth typhoon is expected to approach Okinawa’s Miyako Island with full force by Tuesday morning with gusts of up to 270 kph. With the typhoon’s center expected to sweep the western edge of Okinawa, the agency issued its highest warning to the Miyako island area Monday evening.

“We issue special warnings when we anticipate immense damage of a scale only seen every few decades,” said an agency official.

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