A typhoon with sustained winds of about 160kmh is likely headed for Japan's main island, the country's Meteorological Agency said today.
The agency said Typhoon Melor would probably hit sometime tomorrow, and issued warnings for strong winds, heavy rains and high waves along a broad swath of the coastline in the southern and central regions of Japan.
In some parts of Tokyo, local governments made sandbags available to residents who wanted to protect their homes against flooding from rivers and canals.
The typhoon earlier brushed two small southern islands, leaving many homes without power and prompting the evacuation of about 80 people, according to the local power company and police. No injuries were reported, although a few buildings in the region sustained damage such as broken windows.
Typhoons are common in Japan, where the peak season for the storms is late summer and early fall.
