Typhoon Pabuk, a massive, strong typhoon brewing in the Pacific Ocean south of the Japanese archipelago, has shifted course from northwest to north and may hit land Tuesday in western Japan, the Meteorological Agency warned Sunday.
Pabuk, the 11th typhoon of the season, was about 230 km east-northeast of Minami-Daitojima Island as of 5 p.m. Sunday and was moving northwest at 20 kph, the agency said.
It had an atmospheric pressure of 960 hectopascals at its center and was packing winds of up to 126 kph.
The agency warned that Pabuk's approach is expected to cause strong gusts, high waves and heavy rains in western and southwestern Japan, especially in areas along the Pacific coast.
Heavy rainfall is also expected, with up to 300 mm of rain likely to fall in some areas of the Kii Peninsula and 150-200 mm expected to soak the Kinki region. About 100-150 mm is expected to fall in Okinawa and northern Kyushu, the agency said.
"Pabuk" means "big freshwater fish" in Laotian.