TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A widespread power outage occurred during the early hours on Thursday in the western Japanese prefecture of Osaka, impacting about 245,000 households at its peak.

About 245,000 homes temporarily lost power from around 4 a.m. local time, mostly in Osaka city and parts of Moriguchi city, according to Kansai Transmission and Distribution Inc., adding that services were fully restored by 9 a.m. local time.

The power outage caused significant disruptions throughout the affected areas, with at least 140 traffic signals in the cities of Osaka and Moriguchi going dark, forcing police officers to manage traffic using hand signals, local media reported citing police reports.

The outage also impacted public transportation, with Keihan Electric Railway Co. and West Japan Railway Co. reporting delays and cancellations on several train lines.

The exact cause of the power cut is still under investigation. ■