NAHA, Japan — Typhoon Dolphin struck Japan’s Okinawa prefecture on Saturday, injuring six people and leaving more than 50,000 buildings without power, according to authorities, as the storm disrupted air travel and moved toward China.
Dolphin brought maximum sustained winds of about 162 kph and gusts reaching 216 kph, affecting Okinawa and nearby Amami Island, according to weather authorities.
Power outages were also reported in Kagoshima prefecture, where nearly 39,000 buildings were without electricity, according to local authorities. Major airlines ANA and Japan Airlines canceled domestic flights in Okinawa because of the storm.
The typhoon had earlier prompted evacuation orders affecting hundreds of thousands of residents in Okinawa and Kagoshima, while authorities warned of violent winds, heavy rain and high waves.
Japan's weather authorities have continued to monitor the storm as it moves away from the country's southwestern islands. Details of damage and injuries remain subject to further verification.
Dolphin is now heading toward China's eastern coast, where Chinese authorities have raised their emergency response level and issued warnings for heavy rain, flooding and other hazards, according to Chinese authorities.
