Three people in Okinawa were injured as of Thursday as powerful Typhoon Rananim hit the area, whipping up waves and causing blackouts on Miyako Island, police and firefighters said.
The three injured include a 68-year-old man who fell off a wall and broke his ribs and an 8-year-old boy who cut the back of his hand when his umbrella broke.
The season's 13th typhoon was 320 km north-northwest of Ishigaki Island at midday Thursday and moving north-northwest at 25 kph toward China. It had an atmospheric pressure of 950 hectopascals and winds of up to 144 kph near its center, the Meteorological Agency said. Rananim means hello in Micronesian.
The agency called for continued caution due to strong winds and high waves.
Almost all flights between Okinawa and the main islands resumed normal service Thursday, but some flights linking Okinawa's islands were canceled.
On Miyako Island, power to 15,000 households was cut initially, but repairs brought the number down to about 500 as of Thursday morning.