Thousands evacuated as powerful typhoon hits Japan, Taiwan

28 September 2015 01:37 pm

Tokyo/Taipei (dpa) - A powerful typhoon hit Taiwan and south-western Japanese islands Monday, leaving thousands of families without electricity and water supply, local media reported.

Typhoon Dujuan pounded the Japanese islands after hundreds had evacuated their homes, Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper reported.

As of 6 pm (0900 GMT), the eye of the storm was about 90 kilometres west of Yonaguni island, travelling west-north-west at 25 kilometres per hour (kph), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The season's 21st typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 180 kph and gusts of 252 kph, the agency said.

The storm approached Taiwan late Monday. Rial services and some flights were cancelled, the state-run Central News Agency said.