At least 10 people were killed and 628 others injured as Typhoon Songda hit the western and southwestern Japan Tuesday, pounding with torrential rain and powerful winds. Twenty-one sailors are missing, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Wednesday.  

Songda caused blackouts and paralyzed public transportation as it swept across the regions. More than 20,000 people evacuated from their homes in affected areas.

Songda is the seventh typhoon to land on the Japanese archipelago this year, breaking the record of six typhoons to do so in a single season.

The 21 sailors went missing after an Indonesian freighter ran aground in the Seto Inland Sea off Yamaguchi Prefecture on Tuesday morning. Three bodies found nearby are believed to be among the 22 missing.

Two Russian sailors from a Cambodian-registered timber freighter were also killed, and two others are missing. The freighter, carrying 18 crew members, sank after docking at a port in Hiroshima Prefecture.

The agency is warning of heavy rain, strong winds and high waves in western Japan through Tuesday night, and in eastern and northern Japan through Wednesday. Coastal areas may experience storm surges.

Throughout the Typhoon-hit regions, 1.8 million households were temporarily deprived of electricity.

Local airline companies canceled 750 domestic flights due to the typhoon, affecting some 86,000 travelers. They also canceled more than 30 international flights, affecting about 4,600 travelers.

Ferry, train and expressway services in the areas were also disrupted by the typhoon.

Songda follows close behind Typhoon Chaba, which battered the region last week, killing at least 13 people, and Megi, which killed at least 10.

(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2004)