Strong, violent typhoon may approach Japan's Okinawa around weekend
Tokyo, July 7
Typhoon Bavi, a very large and violent tropical cyclone, could approach Japan's southern island prefecture of Okinawa with strong intensity later this week, the country's weather agency said on Tuesday.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), as of 3 a.m. local time on Tuesday, the season's ninth typhoon was moving westward near the Mariana Islands in the Pacific at a speed of 30 kilometres per hour (kph), packing gusts of up to 270 kph, and had an atmospheric pressure of 920 hectopascals at its centre.
The typhoon is expected to change course toward the north and may approach Okinawa with very strong intensity around Friday and Saturday. The JMA urged the public to stay updated with the latest forecasts and weather warnings.
As Bavi draws closer, seas around Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture are expected to turn very rough from around Thursday, and Okinawa may see severe weather and warning-level torrential rainfall from around Friday.
Depending on the typhoon's track, rough seas could also develop off the southern part of Japan's southwestern main island of Kyushu.
Last month, Typhoon Jangmi made landfall in the southern part of Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan, prompting the weather agency to temporarily issue a Level 5 special flood warning.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) had issued the Level 5 Emergency Warning for flooding of the Koza River running through Wakayama Prefecture, the highest level of alert on the agency's scale of one to five.
The warning was later downgraded to Level 2, but officials urged residents to remain alert for rising river levels and flooding.
Torrential and extremely heavy rain was witnessed along the Pacific side of western and eastern Japan. The JMA had warned the public about the risk of rain-related disasters.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Ah, another typhoon season in Japan. I lived in Tokyo for five years and got used to these warnings, but 270 km/h gusts is something else entirely. Japans disaster preparedness is top-notch, hope everyone in the path heeds the warnings and stays indoors. Jal hi jeevan hai, but not like this!
My sister just moved to Okinawa for work. She's from Mumbai and used to monsoons but this is terrifying. The JMA's level 5 warning system gives me some reassurance though we don't have that in India. Praying for everyone's safety.
It's strange how the Bay of Bengal cyclones and Pacific typhoons seem so different. Ours are mostly pre-monsoon and post-monsoon but Japan gets them all year round. The Koza River flood warning they mentioned is scary - reminds me of how Kerala's rivers overflowed in 2018. Respect nature's power.
Just a thought - while Japan's infrastructure is great, I hope the tourists and diaspora don't underestimate this. We Indians often ignore cyclone warnings thinking "it won't be that bad" but 270 km/h winds can flatten buildings. Let's learn from their Level 5 system - maybe we need something similar for Odisha and Andhra coasts.
Having been through Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, I feel for everyone in Bavi's path. Japan's warning systems are world-class but the human toll is still real. The article mentions Level 5 for Koza River - that's the highest alert possible. Hope people take it seriously and don't wait until it's too late.
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