Typhoon Tapah approached southwestern Japan Sunday, with heavy rain and strong winds grounding hundreds of regional flights.

Tapah, with gusts up to 162 kilometres (100 miles) per hour, was expected to draw near Nagasaki prefecture overnight, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

It was on course to travel through the channel between Japan and the Korean Peninsula before moving toward northern Japan on Monday, when it is expected to weaken and be downgraded, the agency said.

The storm prompted cancellations of more than 400 domestic flights, according to national broadcaster NHK.

"Serious caution is warranted for violent winds, high waves and landslides," said Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency in a statement.

So far the typhoon has caused 21 minor injuries, mostly in a southern island region of Okinawa that was hit by the storm earlier.

Evacuation advisories have been issued to more than 2,000 regional residents, according to the disaster management agency.

Tapah follows on the trail of Typhoon Faxai, which barrelled through Tokyo earlier this month, packing record winds that brought down power lines, caused travel chaos and disrupted Rugby World Cup preparations.

It resulted in a lengthy blackout on the outskirts of Tokyo that left tens of thousands of people without power for more than a week.

Lorena downgraded to tropical storm off northwest Mexico coast
Mexico City (AFP) Sept 22, 2019 - Hurricane Lorena was downgraded to a tropical storm as it swirled in the Gulf of California off northwest Mexico Saturday, after making landfall near the Los Cabos beach resort, the Mexican hurricane monitor said.

With maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, the storm is expected to bring heavy rains to Baja California Sur and the neighboring state of Sinaloa as it moves north at 19 kilometers per hour, CONAGUA said.

Lorena's center would again "make landfall on Saturday night or Sunday morning in Bahia Kino, Sonora," it added.

"Landslides along with river and stream overflows that affect roads and highways could be recorded due to the rains, along with flooding in low-lying areas and saturation of drains in urban sites," the agency wrote in a bulletin.

No damage or casualties were reported after Lorena made landfall on Friday as a Category 1 hurricane at the tourist hot spot of Los Cabos, in Baja California.

The US-based National Hurricane Center said Lorena was forecast to "cross the northwestern coast of mainland Mexico on Sunday" with rapid weakening anticipated thereafter.

In Mexico's Baja California Sur, state authorities opened shelters, while the government in Sonora state closed several ports.

Mexico's location makes it vulnerable to hurricanes on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

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Hurricane Humberto strengthens to Category 3 storm
Washington (AFP) Sept 18, 2019
Hurricane Humberto strengthened to a major Category 3 storm on Tuesday and was expected to pass near Bermuda, threatening it with dangerous waves and heavy rain, the US National Hurricane Center said. "Hurricane conditions are expected to reach Bermuda by Wednesday night and continue into early Thursday morning," the Miami-based NHC said. "Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or so, but Humberto should remain a powerful hurricane through Thursday," it said. As of 8:0 ... read more