A powerful typhoon is tracking west over the East China Sea after impacting remote southwestern Japanese islands, including Okinawa, where it triggered flight cancellations, power outages, and landslide warnings. As of late Wednesday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported that Typhoon Saudel was positioned approximately 180 kilometers (112 miles) northwest of Okinoerabu island, moving toward the eastern coast of China with wind speeds reaching up to 144 kph (89 mph).
Local authorities, including the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, confirmed that two people sustained minor injuries during the storm. In the city of Uruma on Okinawa, a 78-year-old woman suffered a head injury after being blown over by strong winds outside her residence. A second woman in her 70s was injured on Amamioshima island after falling down stairs during a blackout caused by the severe weather, according to reports from NHK public television.
The storm's impact on infrastructure was significant, with Kyushu Electric Power Co. reporting that more than 30,000 homes in Kagoshima prefecture, which encompasses the Amami area, lost power. Additionally, aviation travel was disrupted, leading to the cancellation of approximately 150 flights to and from Okinawa’s Naha airport.
Heavy rainfall accompanied the system, with the JMA recording over 23 centimeters (9 inches) of rain in the Amami region within a 24-hour period. Forecasters have issued a landslide warning for the Amami area and expect further rainfall of up to 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) there, alongside up to 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) on Okinawa through midday Thursday.
