Hong Kong airlines cancel Okinawa flights amid typhoon threat

Powerful tropical cyclone Dolphin slammed into Okinawa Friday and prompted the temporary closure of the Naha Airport. The prefecture says three men in their 70s were slightly injured.

Typhoon Dolphin caused widespread power outages in over 2,200 households in Okinawa, while concurrently lashing Kyushu's Miyazaki Prefecture with wind gusts of up to 216 kilometres per hour.

The regions of Okinawa, Amami and southern Kyushu remain under critical warnings for coastal surges and mudslides.

Authorities have issued evacuation instructions for nearly 260,000 residents in Okinawa and Kagoshima.

Budget carrier HK Express called off multiple flights linking Hong Kong and Okinawa or Ishigaki scheduled for today and tomorrow.

The Greater Bay Airlines has suspended flight services of HB336 and HB337, while Hong Kong Airlines also cancelled all four Okinawa-bound flights today.

The airlines will waive all change fees for passengers affected by the storm.