Airport closes in Okinawa as Typhoon Dolphin approaches southern Japan

The slow-moving Typhoon Dolphin approached Japan's southern remote islands on Friday, causing a main airport on Okinawa to close and grounding all flights in and out of the island, while sending hundreds of people to take shelter at evacuation centers.

The typhoon was near Yoron Island and heading west toward the main island of Okinawa with maximum winds of 144 kph (89 mph) as of late morning Friday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Three men in their 70s were slightly injured - two of them were caught in the wind and a third one fell from a stool, apparently blown off by the wind while preparing for the storm, the Okinawa prefecture said.


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The Naha Airport on Okinawa Island said it closed Friday and all domestic and international flights in and out of Naha have been canceled.

As of midday Friday, 240 people had taken shelter at evacuation centers across Okinawa, the prefecture said.

With Dolphin expected to affect part of Japan's southern main island of Kyushu, residents whose houses were damaged by last week's deadly earthquake were placing blue tarps on roofs and walls to prevent water damage.

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The agency predicted strong winds, heavy rain and high waves in the Okinawa region through Sunday, urging residents in the area to stay indoors.

The storm will weaken over the weekend as it heads toward China's eastern coast, where it is expected to make landfall Monday morning.