One of the year’s most impactful tropical cyclones to hit southwest Japan has begun wreaking havoc on the island chain of Okinawa, bringing high winds, widespread travel disruption, and minor injuries as authorities urge residents to remain indoors through the weekend.
As of Friday afternoon, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed that Typhoon Dolphin was positioned just north of Okinawa’s main island, packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 144 kilometers per hour (89 miles per hour). The powerful storm system forced the complete shutdown of Naha Airport, Okinawa’s primary air transportation hub, leading to the cancellation of every inbound and outbound commercial flight, both domestic and international, on Friday.
Local officials from the Okinawa prefectural government confirm that three men in their 70s have already sustained minor injuries linked to the storm. Two of the men were knocked off balance by strong gusts, while the third fell from a stool while he was completing storm preparation work at his property, with officials confirming the fall was caused by a sudden wind blast. By midday Friday, 240 local residents had already relocated to official evacuation centers across the prefecture to wait out the dangerous weather.
The storm’s impending path has also put nearby regions on high alert. After moving past Okinawa, Dolphin is projected to reach parts of Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island. This extra risk comes as Kyushu is still recovering from a deadly earthquake that struck just one week prior. Many residents whose homes suffered structural damage in the seismic event have rushed to install waterproof blue tarps over broken roof sections and damaged exterior walls to prevent rainwater from leaking into their properties.
The JMA has warned that the Okinawa region will continue to face severe hazardous conditions through Sunday, including sustained strong winds, torrential downpours that could trigger flash flooding and landslides, and dangerous high ocean swells. The agency has issued a mandatory advisory urging all non-essential residents to avoid outdoor activity entirely for the duration of the storm.
Meteorologists project that Dolphin will gradually lose intensity over the weekend as it tracks northwest toward the eastern coast of China, where forecasters predict the storm will make landfall on Monday morning.