TYPHOON;

Typhoon Neoguri brings torrential rain and winds to Japan's Okinawa islands

PHOTO: Typhoon Neoguri in the Pacific Ocean, approaching Japan on its northward journey July 6, 2014. 

MAP: Japan

Powerful Typhoon Neoguri is bringing torrential rains and strong winds to the Okinawa island chain in southern Japan.

Typhoon Neoguri weakened from its original status as a super typhoon overnight, but is still bringing winds of up to 250 kilometres an hour.

Japanese authorities have issued warnings for torrential rain and waves up to 14 metres high.

PHOTO: Waves are seen as super typhoon Neoguri approaches the region, at Cape Kyan in Itoman on Japan's southern island of Okinawa on July 7 (Reuters: Kyodo)

At midday local time (0300 GMT), the storm was located 250 km southwest of Kadena Air Force Base, and tracking north at 11km/h.

More than 100,000 people have been evacuated ahead of the storm's arrival, school has been called off and all flights into Okinawa have been cancelled.

Around 20,000 houses have power blackouts and authorities have urged about half a million people to evacuate on Okinawa's main island.

There are no nuclear plants on Okinawa but there are two on Kyushu, Japan's westernmost main island, which lies in the area through which the typhoon is likely to pass after hitting Okinawa.

There is another on Shikoku island, which borders Kyushu and could also be affected.

All are shut down due to national policy.

Kadena Air Base, one of the largest US military facilities on Okinawa and host to around 75 per cent of US forces in Japan, is on its highest level of storm alert and people have been told to stay inside.

Around 26,000 US troops are stationed in bases in Okinawa.

PHOTO: Super typhoon Neoguri is approaching Japan's Okinawa islands with winds up to 270 km an houroriginal post found her  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-08/an-typhoon-neoguri-hits-okinawa/5581436