NEW : `` It 's been a long and rough 3 a.m. , '' storm chaser says . Ralitsa Vassileva crosses over Okinawa . It is the strongest typhoon in the region since 1956 . In the meantime , rainfall totals in Okinawa could top 500 mm ( 20 inches ) in 24 hours , said CNN International meteorologist Tom Sater . Okinawa cloud field is More than 400,000 times the length of Typhoon Bolaven 's .
NEW : `` It 's been a long and rough 3 a.m. , '' storm chaser says . Ralitsa Vassileva crosses over Okinawa . It is the strongest typhoon in the region since 1956 . Okinawa cloud field is More than 400,000 times the length of Typhoon Bolaven 's .