Strong typhoon sweeps southern Japan, heads to Koreas

A powerful typhoon blew over Japan's sournmost islands on Tuesday and was heed toward country's main sourn island and Korean Peninsula.

More than 20,000 homes were left without electricity, according to Okinawa Electric Power Co.

As of noon, Typhoon Maysak h alrey travelled past area around Okinawa, home to US military bases, but warnings continued to be issued about strong gusts that could cause homes to collapse. Extremely high tides were a risk as well.

Japanese Meteorological Agency h said earlier that Maysak was expected to later make landfall on Kyushu, Japan's main sourn island, but its course appeared to be swerving away. Still, its passing close by could bring strong winds and rain.

storm is on course to hit South Korea by Thursday. A typhoon that hit Korean Peninsula last week caused scattered minor damage in both Koreas.

Maysak was packing maximum winds of 180 kilometres (112 miles) per hour at its centre by midday, meteorological agency said.

Japan's sourn islands are often been hit by mudslides and flooding during typhoon season. 

(Photo: AP)