Severe Tropical Storm Bebinca is expected to come close to the Amami region of Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in the late afternoon through nighttime on Saturday. Weather officials are warning of violent winds.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says Bebinca was moving northwest at 30 kilometers per hour over waters north-northwest of Minami-Daitojima Island of Okinawa Prefecture at noon on Saturday.
Bebinca had a central atmospheric pressure of 985 hectopascals. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers per hour near its center, with peak gusts of 126 kilometers per hour. The storm is expected to move northwest while gaining strength.
Maximum sustained winds could reach 108 kilometers per hour in Amami and 82.8 kilometers per hour in the Okinawa region. Gusts could reach 162 kilometers per hour in Amami and 126 kilometers per hour in Okinawa.
Waves could rise as high as 8 meters in Amami, 7 meters in the southern Kyushu region and 6 meters in Okinawa.
In the 24 hours through Sunday noon, rainfall is forecast to reach up to 150 millimeters in Amami and southern Kyushu, and 100 millimeters in Okinawa.
Weather officials are calling on people in the Amami region to be on the alert for high waves, landslides, flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers. Caution is also advised against high waves in the Okinawa region.