Japan Orders Evacuation of Over 810,000 People as Typhoon Haishen Approaches, Reports Say

TOKYO (Sputnik) - More than 810,000 people living in Japan’s southern and southwestern prefectures were ordered to immediately evacuate on Sunday due to approaching Typhoon Haishen, the NHK broadcaster reported.

The evacuation was recommended to another 5.5 million people in 10 prefectures of the country.

According to Japan’s weather officials, Haishen, at 17:00 local time (08:00 GMT) was 70 kilometres (43 miles) away from the country’s southern Yakushima island and was en route to the north at 35 kilometres per hour (22 miles per hour).

Lashing it down here on Amami Oshima as #typhoon #Haishen closes in pic.twitter.com/2vytxmJagB

— James Reynolds (@EarthUncutTV) September 6, 2020

​The latest data suggests that atmospheric pressure in Haishen’s centre is 945 hectopascals, while its wind power is 162 kilometres per hour and gusts are up to 216 kilometres per hour.

LOOK: Typhoon #KristinePH (#Haishen) continues to exhibit a well-formed eye this afternoon - now the strongest typhoon (so far) in 2020!

It is expected to further intensify and could become the STRONGEST typhoon to hit Japan and South Korea in recorded history. pic.twitter.com/TWOQ7QVmsK

— EarthShakerPH (@earthshakerph) September 4, 2020

​Haishen is expected to hit Japan’s Kyushu island on Sunday night.