Typhoon brings blackouts, floods to southern Japan

TOKYO – A powerful typhoon passing over southwestern Japan has left tens of thousands of homes without power and brought transportation to the region by sea and air to a standstill.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said Typhoon Sanba crossed over the Okinawan islands on Sunday and was headed toward the Korean Peninsula after dumping heavy rains and whipping Okinawa with powerful winds.

It described the typhoon as large and very strong, with gusts of up to 250 kilometers (155 miles) per hour. The agency warned residents to stay indoors.

The storm caused flight and ferry cancelations.

More than 60,000 homes were without power, according to media reports. NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, showed scenes of flooded houses and roads in Okinawa's main city, but there were no immediate reports of deaths or significant injuries.