Typhoon Jelawat on course to hit Japan mainland
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
A fallen tree caused by typhoon Jelawat lies on a street in Naha, Japan, on Saturday, Sept 29, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
TOKYO (AFP) - Strong typhoon Jelawat was moving toward the Japanese mainland on Saturday, the national weather agency said, after it battered southern Okinawa island with gusts strong enough to flip cars.
Violent winds up to 234km/hr have injured at least 51 people in Okinawa, including a man who severed a finger as a door of his house slammed shut due to strong winds, national network NHK said.
The Okinawa Prefecture Police said it had officially recognised at least six cases of typhoon-caused injuries as of Saturday afternoon, adding that the number of injuries could rise above 20.
Okinawa Electric Power said some 220,600 households in the island prefecture have suffered power outage.
