Typhoon Neoguri lost its “Super” status but it is still quite a storm, packing wind gusts of more than 250 kilometers per hour as it barrels towards Okinawa.  The leading edge of the storm crept up on Okinawa this morning, on its projected path to the Japanese main islands.

Already, 100,000 people have evacuated low-lying areas in the Okinawa Island chain, and an oil refinery has halted operations.  There’s some minor damage:  Local news footage showed sheets of rain and palm trees bending in the stiff wind.  One gust already flattened a house near Naha and Nago Cities, although it doesn’t appear that there were any injuries.

Later this week, forecasters expect Neoguri to hit the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands Kyushu, where there are two nuclear reactors.  It would then go to Shikoku, where there is one nuclear facility.