Typhoon Chaba pounds southern Japan: 5 die

Residents were evacuated from tens of thousands of homes across the region as fears mounted that fierce downpours from the storm could trigger floods and mudslides.

Packing winds of up to 126 kilometers (80 miles) per hour, Chaba also knocked out power for more than 300,000 households and caused widespread chaos for travellers.

Chaba was the third deadly storm to hit Japan in the last two weeks, coming after Typhoons Aere and Megi tore through the region.

The typhoon killed an 82-year-old man and a 71-year-old man in different cities in Miyazaki prefecture and slightly injured four people, police said.

"The 82-year-old man was trying to cut up a tree mangled by the typhoon but strong winds blew him away from a stepladder," said a police spokesman in Miyazaki.

The 71-year-old died after falling from the roof of his house while trying to repair storm damage.