Strong typhoon slams Okinawa

Witnesses on Okinawa said Typhoon Bolaven roared ashore Sunday with fierce winds and torrential rain. CNN said Bolaven was probably the strongest typhoon to hit Okinawa since the 1950s and was 20 times larger than the island itself. By Sunday evening, Bolaven was packing sustained winds of 105 knots (120.8 mph) with gusts up to 160 (184.1 mph) knots, the U.S. military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center said. Waves in the ocean topped 50 feet. Storm chaser James Reynolds told CNN the storm packed a punch, sending tree branches flying and dumping sheets of rain. "It has been very, very severe," he said. Reynolds noted Okinawa is well-prepared for typhoons. Many buildings are made of concrete and utility poles are also extra thick. The greatest threat is the potential for roads being washed out. Numerous power outages were reported on Okinawa and transportation was shut down. The storm's next stop was likely the area around the Korean Peninsula, CNN said. Bolaven was so large it could exert a pull on Typhoon Tembin that would cause the storm to hit Taiwan for the second time in a week.