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The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning against strong winds, storm surges and damage from landslides from extremely powerful Typhoon No. 9, which pummeled Okinawa Prefecture on the morning of Sept. 1, injuring five people.

As of 11 a.m., the typhoon, packing a maximum wind speed of 180 kph near the center, gusting to as much as 252 kph, was about 130 kilometers northwest of Kumejima island in the prefecture, traveling north-northwest at a speed of 20 kph, according to the agency.

The typhoon, with a central barometric pressure of 935 hectopascals, is forecast to approach the main island of Kyushu between Sept. 2 and 3, as it is moving north in the East China Sea.

At Kumejima island, a maximum instantaneous wind velocity of 196.2 kph was registered at 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 1.

Nago, on Okinawa's main island, reported 204.5 millimeters of rain over 24 hours through 9:40 a.m.

Five people suffered minor injuries after falling due in part to strong winds, according to the Okinawa prefectural government.

Okinawa Electric Power Co. announced that about 33,600 homes were without power as of 9 a.m. as a result of the storm.

The prefectural government has been closed since the afternoon of Aug. 31 because of the typhoon. Okinawa's public transportation system has also been shut down as a precaution.

A maximum momentary wind velocity of 216 kph has been forecast through Sept. 2 in the prefecture and was predicted to hit 180 kph in the northern part of Kyushu.

Okinawa Prefecture will receive up to 180 mm of rainfall and Kyushu up to 150 mm for the 24-hour period through noon on Sept. 2, the agency forecast.

Shikoku could be doused with rainfall reaching 300-500 mm in the following 24-hour period through noon on Sept. 3, with rainfall of up to 200-300 mm drenching Kyushu.

Typhoon No. 10 also lurks on the horizon, the agency added, forecasting it will grow out of a tropical cyclone brewing in waters near the Ogasawara island chain.

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