KHANUN: Direct Hit on Amami, Headed for Kyushu
KHANUN is moving eastward over the East China Sea. As of 5:00 AM, the central pressure is 970 hPa, with maximum sustained winds near the center at 30 m/s and maximum gusts of 45 m/s. The southern parts of the Amami Islands and the Okinawa Main Island region are currently experiencing strong winds exceeding 25 m/s. Although the typhoon’s intensity has slightly weakened, it remains powerful, and there is a possibility of it intensifying again over the Pacific after directly impacting the Amami Islands on Sunday the 6th. Following that, it is expected to change its course to the north and make landfall in either Miyagi or Kagoshima Prefecture on Wednesday the 9th, traversing Kyushu. Due to the slow movement of the typhoon, the impacts such as heavy rain, strong winds, and high waves may persist for an extended period. [Announcement by the Japan Meteorological Agency on August 5, 2023, at 5:33 AM] In the Okinawa and Amami regions, please exercise extreme caution against strong winds, high