The strongest typhoon in years has lashed Japan's southern islands, injuring four people and leaving tens of thousands in the dark.

Typhoon Bolaven passed over the main island of Okinawa Sunday and was moving toward the Korean peninsula and parts of eastern China.

About 27,000 households on the smaller island of Amami were left without electricity. More than 3,000 households on Okinawa also lost power.

Residents were told to stay indoors and warned that the storm's powerful winds could overturn cars and cause waves more than 10 meters high.

Japanese news reports say heavy rainfall exceeding 50 millimeters per hour, accompanied by thunder, will continue into Monday across the southern Japanese region.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said wind speeds near the center of the typhoon were about 180 kilometers per hour, with extremely strong gusts.

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