Typhoon Songda nears Japan

TOKYO – High winds and heavy rain lashed Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa yesterday, swamping buildings and stranding holidaymakers, as the third powerful typhoon in three weeks neared the country’s coast.

Typhoon Songda caused transport chaos in the popular tourist destination, as most flights and ferries in and out of the prefecture were cancelled. Waves engulfed coastal roads and buildings, television pictures showed.One man had been injured, Kyodo news agency reported.If Songda makes landfall on one of Japan’s four main islands, it will be the seventh typhoon to do so this year, compared with an annual average of 2.6, the Meteorological Agency said.Since May, typhoons have killed hundreds of people in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.As of 13h00 (0400 GMT) yesterday, the centre of Songda was 70 km (44 miles) east of the regional capital of Naha, which is 1 600 km (990 miles) southwest of Tokyo, the Meteorological Agency said.The storm was packing winds of up to 160 kph (100 mph).- Nampa-ReutersWaves engulfed coastal roads and buildings, television pictures showed.One man had been injured, Kyodo news agency reported.If Songda makes landfall on one of Japan’s four main islands, it will be the seventh typhoon to do so this year, compared with an annual average of 2.6, the Meteorological Agency said.Since May, typhoons have killed hundreds of people in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.As of 13h00 (0400 GMT) yesterday, the centre of Songda was 70 km (44 miles) east of the regional capital of Naha, which is 1 600 km (990 miles) southwest of Tokyo, the Meteorological Agency said.The storm was packing winds of up to 160 kph (100 mph).- Nampa-Reuters