TOKYO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Japan's weather agency on Thursday forecast Typhoon Lan to approach the country's Ogasawara Islands in the Pacific on Friday, warning of fierce winds and heavy rain.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that as of 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Typhoon Lan was moving northwest at a speed of 15 km per hour over waters 170 km southeast of Chichijima Island.
The storm is expected to head north and come closest to the Ogasawara Islands on Friday as it continues to develop, while heavy rain is forecast for the Ogasawara Islands from late Thursday night through Saturday, said the JMA.
Up to 250 millimeters of rain may drench some areas of the islands in the 24 hours through late Friday afternoon, and up to 200 millimeters in the next 24 hours, it added.
The typhoon is expected to move northwest over the Pacific and could approach Japan's main island of Honshu next Tuesday without losing its strength. Eastern and western Japan may be hit by stormy weather from Monday, according to the agency. ■
