Photo/Illutration Work continues to restore power in a tornado-hit area of Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture, on Sept. 23. (Eiji Hori)

The 17th typhoon of the season weakened to an extratropical cyclone over the Sea of Japan on Sept. 23 after causing widespread damage in the southern main island of Kyushu and injuring at least 56 people.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said most of the destruction was confined to northern Kyushu.

According to Kyushu Electric Power Co., about 148,000 households were without electricity temporarily after strong winds severed power lines.

In Nagasaki Prefecture, up to 77,000 households experienced power blackouts.

Kyushu Electric Power said power was restored to all homes by 10 p.m. on Sept. 23.

A steel pylon was brought down by strong winds in Nobeoka, Miyazaki Prefecture on Sept. 22.

The Japan Meteorological Agency's Miyazaki Local Meteorological Observatory said Sept. 23 that a tornado triggered by the typhoon was responsible. It cited an on-site investigation.

The maximum wind velocity generated by Typhoon No. 17 hit record highs in eight locations in five of Kyushu's seven prefectures.

Winds gusts of 140.76 kph were recorded in Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, and 122.4 kph in Fukuoka’s Hakata Ward.

There appeared to be two reasons for the exceptionally strong winds recorded at those sites, according to the agency's Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory.

One was the typhoon passing near land. The other was that those sites lay to the east of the typhoon's path, where stronger winds usually prevail, compared with the western side.