Heat alert issued for Japan's Kyushu, Okinawa braces for strong typhoon

Heatstroke alerts have been issued for parts of Kyushu in western Japan, while Okinawa Prefecture in southwestern Japan is bracing for the approach of a powerful typhoon.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says a seasonal front that brought heavy rainfall to Kyushu has moved off to the south. It says this is causing temperatures to rise mainly in western Japan on Tuesday.

Officials have issued heatstroke alerts for Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, excluding the Amami region of Kagoshima.

Temperatures began rising above 30 degrees Celsius in some places from the morning. Residents are advised to use air conditioners, and consume water and salt.

Meanwhile, weather officials say that as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, Typhoon Bavi was moving west over the Pacific near the Mariana Islands, far south of Japan.

The large and very strong typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 180 kilometers per hour near its center, with gusts peaking at 252 kilometers.

Officials say Bavi has weakened somewhat from Monday, but is likely to gain strength on Wednesday. It is expected to approach Okinawa Prefecture from Friday through Saturday while retaining its intensity.

The seas will be rough off Okinawa and the Amami region from around Thursday, and warning-level rainfall may hit Okinawa from around Friday.

Depending on the path of the storm, southern Kyushu may also experience stormy seas from around Friday. Officials are asking people to keep abreast of the latest weather information.

 nhk