A powerful typhoon slammed into the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, causing power outages in widespread areas, as authorities warned of winds, high waves and mudslides in the region, dpa reported according to news reports said on Monday.
Typhoon Bolaven, the 15th of the season, passed over Okinawa Sunday night, bringing downpours and strong winds. Seven people suffered storm-related injuries on the island and in Kagoshima prefecture on the southern tip of Kyushu island to the north, broadcaster NHK reported.
All flights to and from Naha, Okinawa's capital, and voyages by most ships linking the island with others were cancelled Monday morning, local media reported. Bus services were shut down all day.
About 16,800 homes on Okinawa and 59,800, or 64 per cent, of the households on the nearby Amami Islands suffered power outages, NHK said.
As of 9 am (0000 GMT), Bolaven was travelling toward the Korean Peninsula at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour, Japan's Meteorological Agency said.
The typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometres per hour and gusts of 216 kph, the agency said.
Rainfall of up to 250 millimetres was forecast for Okinawa and the southern part of Kyushu through Tuesday morning and up to 200 millimetres for the Amami Islands, the agency said.