Typhoon 13 battering Okinawa and Amami, prompting massive flight cancellations and flood warnings

A large and powerful Typhoon No. 13 is moving westward toward Japan’s southern islands. Forecasts predict maximum instantaneous wind speeds of 55‑60 m s⁻¹ and wave heights up to 10 m, with heavy rain that could exceed 200 mm in Okinawa, the Amami archipelago and parts of Kyushu. Authorities warn of landslides, flooding and storm‑surge damage, especially in areas still weakened by the recent Kumamoto earthquake.

Air travel has been severely disrupted. All Nippon Airways cancelled about 100 flights and Japan Airlines about 240, affecting roughly 75,000 passengers. Ferry services to Yakushima and other islands were also suspended, and a hotel on the island reported about 200 room cancellations. Local officials have issued high‑wind and high‑wave alerts for Okinawa, the Daito Islands, Amami and Kagoshima Prefecture, urging residents to secure windows, seek safe shelter and prepare for possible evacuations.

The storm is expected to remain intense through August 8, with continued heavy rain and the risk of line‑shaped rain bands that could intensify flooding and landslide hazards across the affected regions.