A powerful storm described as possibly the most dangerous to hit the region in decades is battering Japan’s southern islands with wind speeds of over 250 kph.

As Typhoon Neoguri approached Okinawa, emergency rain and high-seas warnings went into effect. Waves up to fourteen metres high are expected.

More than 400,000 people in the area have been evacuated.

All nuclear plants in the path of the typhoon have been shut down in line with national policy in the wake of 2011 tsunami. The Fukushima plant which was wrecked back then and is still struggling to contain leaks of radioactive water is on the other side of the county.