Japan's southwestern islands on high alert as powerful Typhoon Bavi approaches

A large and powerful typhoon approached a remote chain of islands in Japan's southwest on Friday, prompting authorities to warn of violent winds, torrential rain, landslides and flooding in what could be the region's most destructive storm in years.



Early on Friday, Typhoon Bavi was nearing Japan's Sakishima Islands — a remote chain of islands near Taiwan — with maximum sustained winds of 162 kph, prompting locals to tape up windows and drape windproof nets across homes and shops.



Airlines cancelled dozens of flights in the region, including for Saturday.



In neighbouring Taiwan, financial markets closed for the day, with a large swathe of the north and east also off work. The Taipei city government set up stations for residents to collect sandbags.



Bavi is not expected to make landfall in Taiwan but will dump huge amounts of rain on the island — some areas could get up to one metre (3.3 feet) of rain — starting late on Friday.