Weather officials in Japan said Tropical Storm Songda has formed over waters south of Japan.

The Meteorological Agency said a tropical depression developed into the tropical storm at 9 p.m. on Thursday.

The agency said Songda had a central atmospheric pressure of 1,002 hectopascals, with maximum winds of about 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kilometers per hour.

It said the storm is moving north-northwest at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour and is expected to approach southern Japan's Amami Islands on Friday night.

Agency officials said those islands and the southern part of the Kyushu region could be hit by heavy rain.
They are calling on people to stay informed of the latest weather updates.