TOKYO, 28th August, 2024 (WAM) -- Japan's weather agency issued a rare special typhoon warning on Wednesday for most parts of Kagoshima Prefecture in the country's southwest as powerful Typhoon Shanshan approaches, Kyodo News reported.
The typhoon was moving in a northerly direction south of Yakushima Island off the prefecture and could make landfall on the southwestern main island of Kyushu on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The alert warned residents to prepare for strong winds and high waves.
Special typhoon warnings are declared in cases of extraordinarily large storm systems. The same warning was issued for Kagoshima Prefecture in 2022 as Typhoon Nanmadol approached, which was at that time a first for any area other than Okinawa.
Separate emergency heavy rain warnings, indicating a life-threatening situation, could also be released for both Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, the agency said.