Typhoon Neoguri whips Okinawa with heavy wind and rain

Typhoon Neoguri lashed Okinawa with strong winds and heavy rain Tuesday as it spun near the Japanese island, CNN reported.

The storm weakened from super typhoon strength as it drew closer to Okinawa and its surrounding islands, where Japan's weather agency has issued an emergency warning.

Okinawa, the site of multiple U.S. military facilities, regularly finds itself in the path of big typhoons. Buildings on the island are designed to withstand the powerful winds that come roaring in off the Western Pacific.

"Winds are buffeting Okinawa, it's not going to take a direct hit," said meteorologist Tom Sater. The storm is expected to pass about 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the west of the island.

Okinawa's main airport was closed, along with schools and many businesses.

Authorities at Kadena Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Asia-Pacific region, told the thousands of service members and their families at the facility that all outside activity was forbidden Tuesday morning.

The storm had lost strength early Tuesday, going from the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane to a Category 3, according to Sater.

It's packing maximum sustained winds of around 205 kph (125 mph) at its center. In Naha, the main city on Okinawa, winds of 141 kph were recorded early Tuesday.