Tropical Storm Surigae to bring stormy weather to Okinawa

A tropical storm is expected to bring very strong winds and rough seas to the southwestern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa from Sunday onward.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says that as of 9 a.m. on Friday, Japan time, Tropical Storm Surigae was moving west-northwest at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour over waters east of the Philippines.

The agency says Surigae has a central pressure of 1,000 hectopascals. It is packing maximum sustained winds of 72 kilometers per hour near its center, with gusts peaking at 108 kilometers per hour.

Surigae is expected to move northward over waters south of Okinawa on Saturday. It is likely to slow down and pick up strength from Sunday onward.

Rough seas and high waves are forecast for Okinawa over the weekend and after. The storm's impact is expected to linger as it slows down.

Moist air from Surigae is causing rain clouds to develop over some parts of the Izu Islands, south of Tokyo. For one hour through 11:30 a.m. on Friday, torrential rain of 84 millimeters hit Miyakejima Island.

A seasonal rain front is expected to remain stationary near the south coast of the main island of Honshu starting on Saturday, bringing rainfall to a wide area from eastern to western Japan.

In southern parts of the Kanto region, which recently received record rainfall, the rain may get heavier on early Saturday morning.

People are advised to keep checking for updated information, especially those in areas where the ground was loosened by recent rain and other locations where levee breaches and flooding occurred.