Typhoon Haishen approaches Japan, hampers search for sank cargo ship

Authorities in Japan have warned about torrential rainfall and fierce winds gusts, as Typhoon Haishen was barreling towards the southern cluster of Okinawa islands.

Weather officials have cautioned about Typhoon Haishen for the last several days, urging people to brace for what could be a record storm and be ready to take shelter and stock up on food and water.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said Haishen, packing sustained winds of up to 198 kilometres per hour early on Saturday, was on course to hit Okinawa by Sunday, and later the main southern island of Kyushu.

But the pouring rain, high tides, and winds will hit long before the typhoon, the agency said.

Haishen, or “sea god” in Chinese, was moving northward at 15 kilometres per hour from out at sea, south of Minami Daito, an island to the south of Japan. The projected course has Haishen hitting the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Second crew member and dead cows found from livestock ship wreckage

Earlier this week, Typhoon Maysak battered southern Japan, injuring dozens of people and cutting power to thousands of homes.

A cargo ship carrying 43 crew members and 5,800 cows from New Zealand capsized off the coast of Japan.

Two people were rescued on Friday and one body was recovered. Rescuers also spotted dozens of cow carcasses floating in the area.

Haishen hampers search for ship survivors near Japan

Rescue teams on Saturday have resumed searching for dozens of missing sailors from a cargo ship that sank, but high waves caused by an approaching storm prevented boats from joining the operation.

The Japan coastguard found a second survivor on Friday after the Gulf Livestock 1, which was carrying 6,000 cows and had 43 crew on board, issued a distress call Wednesday near Amami Oshima island as Typhoon Maysak passed through the area.

"We resumed our search operation this morning by dispatching an airplane," a local coastguard official said.

"But due to high waves, we could not send any patrol boats to the site."

"We still plan to send ships to join the search operation but it's not certain as another typhoon is approaching the region," he said, adding that there were no clues to the fate of the missing crew.

A first survivor was found on Wednesday evening, with the body of a second crew member recovered at sea Friday.

The crew was made up of 39 Filipinos, two New Zealanders, and two Australians.

The boat, which had experienced engine problems before, was traveling from Napier in New Zealand to the Chinese port of Tangshan.

READ MORE: Powerful typhoon strikes Korea, sends ship missing in Japan's rough seas