Typhoon Heishen, equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean, had winds of 195 kilometers (121 miles) and 240 kilometers (149 miles), CNN reported.
This is the second strongest storm to hit the region in a week. Typhoon Maysak – Category 4 hurricane equivalent hurricane Heishen blowing at 130 mph.
Heishen crashed into the Rukyu Islands on Sunday off the southwest coast of Japan, bringing strong winds and heavy rains to the region and causing power outages in thousands of homes.
The storm was near the island of Amami-Oshima in the Kagoshima prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said it would travel north to the west coast of Kyushu Island from Sunday night until Monday morning local time. Over the next 36 hours, the storm will continue in a northerly direction and will affect the Korean Peninsula.
The JMA said Haishen was a little weak but cautioned against heavy rain, strong winds, high waves and tidal waves. Japan and the Korean Peninsula are forecast to receive 100 to 150 millimeters of rain. Some areas receive more than 200 mm of rainfall.
The Japanese public broadcaster NHK said 246,251 people had been evacuated from the Kagoshima prefecture. A total of 36,392 people were evacuated from homes in Nagasaki Prefecture before the hurricane.
More than 200,000 homes in Kagoshima and 3,930 homes in Okinawa are without electricity.
More than 500 flights were canceled on Sunday in southern Kyushu and Okinawa due to Haishen affecting the transportation network.
Maysak brought devastating winds and heavy rain to the Korean Peninsula.
On Sunday, North Korea’s state news agency KCNA reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had called a meeting in the devastated areas regarding the recovery of the hurricane. Kim reportedly ordered the army to help with repairs in the Hong Kong province and ousted the South Hong Kong provincial party leader.
KCNA reported that Kim Pyongyang had asked citizens to volunteer for repairs in areas devastated by Typhoon Maysak. The North Korean leader said more than a thousand homes had been destroyed, homes and public facilities in South Hong Kong province had been submerged and many had been evacuated.
North Korea is now preparing for Typhoon Haichen, KNCA reported, adding that efforts are underway to educate residents about disaster response guidelines, evacuation sites and evacuation routes.
The Korean Meteorological Agency predicts that the hurricane will not make a direct impact on the Korean Peninsula, but will move along the east coast.
The agency issued a preliminary hurricane warning for all South Korean provinces and a heavy rain warning for the northern province of Gangwon.
CNN Weathers Robert Shackford and Angus Watson contributed to the reporting.
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