Typhoon Megi makes landfall in east China, kills one after Taiwan destruction

Fujian authorities say they have moved more than 120,000 people who work close to shore or at sea.

Typhoon Megi causes landfall in east China, kills one after Taiwan destruction
A motorcyclist takes cover from strong winds as Typhoon Megi hits Hualien Reuters

Typhoon Megi made landfall in eastern China on Wednesday morning, killing one person after leaving a trail of destruction and at least four people dead in Taiwan.

The Chinese authorities had issued the third highest weather warning in anticipation of the storm. As reported, the typhoon made landfall at 4.40 am local time.

Xinhua, the official news agency, reported that the Fujian authorities have moved more than 120,000 people who work close to shore or at sea. As many as 31,700 fishing boats in the province have been stopped from leaving the port to avoid the high winds.

China Southern Airlines said 24 flights have been cancelled starting from Tuesday.

According to Xinhua, typhoon Megi hit China with winds of around 120 km an hour, dumping heavy rainfall. Reports from local media in the coastal province of Fujian said one man was killed after a flash flood tore through his home.

Schools and other institutions were shuttered across the province. The train services have also been halted.

However, typhoon Megi caused widespread damage in Taiwan, leading to a complete shutdown of schools and offices for the second day. The roads were blocked by landslides and homes were flooded due to Megi.

National Fire Agency Director-General Chen Wen-lung said the authorities have raised the alert levels for Taiwan, which is prone to landslides and flooding.

More than 500 people were injured, including eight Japanese tourists traveling in a tour bus that turned on its side in central Taiwan. One of them still remains in a critical condition.

Authorities said many of the injuries were from falling and windblown objects.

The four deaths in Taiwan include three people who suffered fatal falls and a fourth person drowned when his boat overturned.

Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Centre said around 4,300 people remained in temporary shelters with more than 14,800 evacuated from their homes. It also said a million households were still without power on Wednesday.

"Fallen trees and signboards brought down many power lines and electrical poles, leading to severe power outages across the island," Taiwan Power Company told AFP.

The authorities started clearing the blocked roads on Wednesday, including those leading to several mountainous villages in the popular hot springs town of Wulai.

"The river swelled and flooded the old street, damaging basements of some homes," Shen Hui-kang, a spokesman at Wulai's district office said.

The mountainous regions across Taiwan have been affected by torrential rainfall. Some parts of northeast Yilan county was already getting 1.3 metres since Monday.

Almost 300 flights were either cancelled or delayed on Wednesday and train services were still stopped. Reports say the services might resume later in the day.

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