Powerful Typhoon Neoguri Battered Okinawa

Japan urges thousands to evacuate as a powerful typhoon hits Okinawa with torrential rain and high winds. Katie Sargent reports

Powerful Typhoon Neoguri battered Okinawa on Tuesday bringing heavy rain and strong winds, high waves up to 14 meters (46 feet) high and storm surges that were set to intensify as the storm passed the main island of Okinawa in the evening.

The Okinawa government reported four people were injured, while a man was reported missing from a fishing boat in rough seas off Kyushu.

Typhoon Neoguri is one of the strongest and biggest typhoons to hit during Japan’s summer months.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said that Typhoon Neoguri was packing sustained winds of 194 kilometers (120 miles) per hour and gusts up to 240 kph (148 mph).

Local airports were closed and about 550,000 people were advised to evacuate their homes.

Forecasts show the storm tracking toward Kyushu island and then across Japan’s main island of Honshu. 

A man walks across a street amid strong winds in Naha, Okinawa, southern Japan, Tuesday, July 8, 2014. Powerful Typhoon Neoguri pounded across the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa on Tuesday, as residents took refuge from destructive winds, towering waves and storm surges. Airports closed and residents were evacuated from low-lying areas and shorelines as the typhoon passed over Okinawa, packing sustained winds of 175 kilometers (108 miles) per hour and gusts up to 250 kph (154 mph), the Japan Meteorological Agency said. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, CREDIT MANDATORY

Women walk in strong winds caused by typhoon Neoguri at Kokusai street, a shopping and amusement district in Naha, on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, in this photo taken by Kyodo July 8, 2014. REUTERS/Kyodo

A powerful typhoon struck the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa on Tuesday, as residents took refuge from gale force winds, towering waves and storm surges. (July 8)

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Photos: Heavy Snow Killed 7, Injured 1000 In Japan

A woman crosses a snow-covered road assisted with walking sticks in Tokyo on February 9, 2014 (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

Snow storm hit Tokyo and some other part of Japan on Saturday.

Tokyo recorded the heaviest snow fall in 45 years, while Sendai recorded the heaviest snow fall in 78 years.

By late Saturday, 27 centimetres (10.6 inches) of snow was recorded in Tokyo and 35 centimetres (13.8 inches) of snow was recorded in Sendai.

Reports on Sunday said that at least seven people were dead and more than 1,000 people were injured across Japan.

Due to the heavy snow, hundreds of flights were cancelled.

NHK said that nearly 5,000 people were stranded at the Narita airport Saturday as traffic linking the airport to the capital was disrupted.

More than 20,000 households were without electricity on Sunday.

Japan Meteorological Agency expected more snowfalls in the northern part of the country on Sunday.

Please click the photos for larger images:

A woman walks against blowing snow in Tokyo, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the first heavy snowfall warning for central Tokyo in 13 years. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A woman crosses a snow-covered road assisted with walking sticks in Tokyo on February 9, 2014 (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

A man walks on snow-covered tree-lined road in Yokohama, Japan, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the first heavy snowfall warning for central Tokyo in 13 years. Some 20-centimeter (7.9-inch) of snowfall is expected by Sunday morning in the metropolitan areas. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People walk against blowing snow in Tokyo, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued Saturday the first heavy snowfall warning for central Tokyo in 13 years. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Tourists walk on a snow at a park in Tokyo on February 9, 2014 after heavy snowfall hit the capital (AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)

In Photos: Typhoon Wipha Hits Japan, 17 killed

Typhoon Wipha strikes Japan’s pacific coast on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people while 50 others are still missing.

The typhoon caused flooding and mudslide that destroyed homes and other buildings.

Izu Oshima island, which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Tokyo was hardest hit by the disaster.

Police and firefighters were having difficulty getting to some stricken areas.

Here are the photos of the disaster…

A man struggles against strong wind and rain caused by approaching Typhoon Wipha at a business district in Tokyo October 16, 2013. A once-in-a-decade typhoon threatened Japan on Tuesday, disrupting travel and shipping and forcing precautions to be taken at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant. (REUTERS/Toru Hanai)

An aerial view shows collapsed houses following a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha on Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. Four people were reported killed, schools closed, hundreds of flights cancelled and thousands were advised to evacuate as Typhoon Wipha pummelled Tokyo on Wednesday, although the Japanese capital escaped major damage. Mandatory Credit. (REUTERS/Kyodo)

An aerial view shows collapsed houses following a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha on Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. Four people were reported killed, schools closed, hundreds of flights cancelled and thousands were advised to evacuate as Typhoon Wipha pummelled Tokyo on Wednesday, although the Japanese capital escaped major damage. Mandatory Credit. (REUTERS/Kyodo)

Rescue workers recover the body of a victim from a site that was damaged by a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha in Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. Eight people were killed and over 30 missing, with nearly 20,000 people ordered to evacuate and hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Wipha pummelled the Tokyo region on Wednesday, leaving piles of wreckage on one small island but largely sparing the capital. (REUTERS/Kyodo)

Rescue workers recover the body of a victim from a site that was damaged by a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha in Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. Eight people were killed and over 30 missing, with nearly 20,000 people ordered to evacuate and hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Wipha pummelled the Tokyo region on Wednesday, leaving piles of wreckage on one small island but largely sparing the capital. (REUTERS/Kyodo)

Furniture and electrical appliances are scattered following a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha in Ibaraki, North of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. Eight people were killed and over 30 missing, with nearly 20,000 people ordered to evacuate and hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Wipha pummelled the Tokyo region on Wednesday, leaving piles of wreckage on one small island but largely sparing the capital. (REUTERS/Kyodo)

Rocks are seen in a residential area following a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha in Kamakura, south of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. Eight people were killed and over 30 missing, with nearly 20,000 people ordered to evacuate and hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Wipha pummelled the Tokyo region on Wednesday, leaving piles of wreckage on one small island but largely sparing the capital. (REUTERS/Kyodo)

Firefighters search for missing people among collapsed houses following a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha on Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. A typhoon killed 17 people in Japan on Wednesday, most on an offshore island, but largely spared the capital and caused no new disaster as it brushed by the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power station, the plant’s operator said. (REUTERS/Kyodo)

A golf course is submerged under water at Matsudo as Typhoon Wipha churn past Tokyo on October 16, 2013

Rescue workers look for survivors as they stand on the rubble of a house buried by mudslides after a powerful typhoon hit Oshima on Izu Oshima island, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Tokyo Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, 2013. Typhoon Wipha has lashed Japan, leaving at least seven people dead on a Pacific island south of Tokyo as it cut across the capital region and headed north. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Several houses in a residential area in Oshima are covered by debris of mudslides after a powerful typhoon hit Izu Oshima island, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Tokyo Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, 2013. Typhoon Wipha has lashed Japan, leaving at least seven people dead on a Pacific island south of Tokyo as it cut across the capital region and headed north. (AP Photo/Kyodo News

Fire fighters stand on rocks fallen from a cliff over a garage and a road in a residential area in Kamakura, southwest of Tokyo, after a powerful typhoon hit Japan’s metropolitan area Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, 2013. Typhoon Wipha triggered landslides and caused multiple deaths on a Japanese island off Tokyo, before sweeping up the country’s east coast, grounding hundreds of flights and paralyzing public transportation in Tokyo during Wednesday morning’s rush hour. (AP Photo/Kyodo News

Fukushima Governor Yuhei Sato (3rd R) inspects contaminated water tanks at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant on October 15, 2013

Graphic showing the path of Typhoon Wipha, which left at least 13 people dead in Japan on Wednesday

Parts of a house and an electric pole are crushed by large rocks in Kamakura, as Typhoon Wipha passed close to Tokyo on October 16, 2013

People struggle against strong wind and rain as Typhoon Wipha churns past Tokyo on October 16, 2013

7.3 Magnitude Quake Hits Off Northeastern Japan

People crowd at Sendai railway station in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012 after trains were halted following a strong earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan. It is the same region that was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami last year. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

A strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan on Friday.

The quake lasts for about several minutes minutes.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Miyagi prefecture at 5:18 p.m. (0818 GMT).

It is  in the same region that was hit by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and deadly tsunami last year.

The epicenter was 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) beneath the seabed and 240 kilometers (150 miles) offshore.

Tokyo high-rises swayed for several minutes.

Authorities issued a warning that a tsunami potentially as high as 2 meters (2.2 yards) could hit.

A tsunami of 1 meter (1 yard) hit Ishinomaki, a city in Miyagi, at 6:02 p.m. (0902 GMT).

So far no deaths or serious damage were reported.

This is a disaster!