Thousands told to evacuate as 'extremely strong' typhoon nears Japan

"Typhoon Shanshan is expected to approach southern Kyushu with extremely strong force through Thursday and it may make landfall," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters.

Japan braced August 28 for its strongest typhoon of the year, with authorities advising tens of thousands of people to evacuate and issuing the highest warning level for wind and storm surges on the main southern island of Kyushu. (Photo by Handout / Gamagori City Hall / AFP)