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Typhoon Dolphin cuts power to 44,000 buildings in Okinawa, heads for China

Typhoon Dolphin has caused power outages for at least 44,000 buildings and injured five people on Japan's Okinawa island. The storm is now expected to make landfall on China's eastern coast.

  • Typhoon Dolphin has cut power to at least 44,000 buildings and injured five people on Japan's Okinawa island.
  • The storm had maximum wind speeds of 162km/h (101mph) and was categorised as "very strong" by the Japan Meteorological Agency.
  • Dolphin is expected to make landfall on China's eastern coast late on Sunday or early on Monday.

Typhoon Dolphin has caused power outages for at least 44,000 buildings and injured at least five people after hitting Japan's Okinawa island on Saturday. Flights to and from Naha International Airport were cancelled on Friday as the storm arrived.

The storm recorded maximum wind speeds of 162km/h (101mph) on Saturday and has been classified as a "very strong" typhoon by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The agency has warned of high waves, storm surges, and lightning strikes. The main areas in Japan affected are the islands of Okinawa and Amami in the far south-west.

The Okinawan prefectural government reported that five elderly individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries, with three of them falling due to strong winds. Japan's national broadcaster NHK has reported numerous instances of trees being toppled in Nago city, Okinawa, and an overturned car leaking oil in a parking lot.

Typhoon Dolphin is now anticipated to make landfall on China's eastern coast late on Sunday or early on Monday. Chinese authorities have shut ports and schools in preparation for its arrival. In Zhejiang, a coastal typhoon alert has been raised to its highest level, and port and ferry services have been halted. Ningbo Lishe International Airport in Zhejiang announced it would cease operations from 23:30 local time on Saturday and suspend all flights on Sunday.

Why this matters: Typhoon season in the western Pacific typically occurs between May and October, and this year is a strong El Niño year, which experts say means typhoons can grow to be more intense.

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