This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Japan's southern islands are braced for one of the country's worst storms for years as typhoon Neoguri approaches Okinawa, with almost half a million people advised to evacuate and power cuts in more than 50,000 homes.

TV images showed deserted streets strewn with fallen trees on the main Okinawan island as residents heeded warnings to stay away from the coast and low-lying areas being battered by gusts of up to 155mph (250km/h) , storm surges and waves of up to 14 metres (46ft) high.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled and the US military, which has a strong presence on the main island, called off all outdoor exercises.

As of early afternoon local time there were reports of a handful of minor injuries, most of them to people who had not stayed inside. Further north, a man was reported missing after being swept overboard from his fishing boat.

"When the wind is at its strongest, it's impossible to stand. You have to hold on to something," Kei Shima, an Okinawa resident in her 30s, told Reuters. "The lights are fading in and out, like the house is haunted. The rain is getting stronger and falling sideways."

Officials had said that Neoguri could be one of the most powerful storms to hit Japan for decades, although it has since been downgraded from its original super-typhoon status.

"There is a risk of unprecedentedly strong winds and torrential rains. Please refrain from non-essential outdoor activities," said Satoshi Ebihara, of the meteorological agency.

The storm is moving slowly and weakening in intensity, but experts warned that its reduced speed could increase the potential for major damage to homes and infrastructure.

The worst of the typhoon was not expected to reach the more populated parts of the Okinawa island chain until Tuesday evening, before moving north to Kyushu by Thursday and the main Japanese island of Honshu by the end of the week.

Although the typhoon is forecast to lose more of its power as it travels over land, it could create potentially dangerous landslides and flooding.

Several typhoons a year strike Japan, but they usually develop later in the summer or in early autumn. The threat of flooding is particularly acute at this time of year, just as Japan emerges from its annual rainy season.

In Tokyo, Keiji Furuya, the state minister in charge of disaster management, pleaded with residents to exercise the "utmost caution".

The government is keen to avoid a repeat of the loss of life last October, when a powerful typhoon slammed into Izu Oshima island, killing 35 people. Then, local authorities were criticised for being too slow to take precautions.

There are no nuclear power plants on Okinawa, but Kyushu, which is expected to experience violent winds and torrential rain on Thursday, is home to two atomic facilities. There is another on nearby Shikoku island.

Nuclear plant operators say they have well-rehearsed measures in place all year round, while the typhoon is expected to have largely blown itself out by the time it reaches the north-east of Japan, where the Fukushima Daiichi plant is located.

All of the country's nuclear reactors remain closed as a result of the triple meltdown in Fukushima just over three years ago.

Kadena air base, one of the biggest US military installations in the region, was on its highest level of storm alert, while the Brazilian firm Petrobas said it had suspended operations at its oil refinery in Okinawa.

Japan's meteorological agency said Neoguri would maintain its strength as it moved north, and was expected to brush Tokyo on Friday. "But it will be weaker by then, so that Tokyo can mainly expect a lot of rain, and maybe some gusts of wind," an agency official said.