Typhoon kills at least two in Taiwan

According to Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Center, strong winds and heavy rain brought by Typhoon Dujuan late Monday caused the death of a 70-year-old man in New Taipei City, and of a 54-year-old man in central Taichung City. According to the AFP news agency, six mountain climbers were also still missing.

More than 300 people were injured around the island due to the storm, which was packing maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour) on the island for three hours. Many of those injured in Taiwan were hit by flying debris or involved in traffic accidents.

More than 10,800 residents' homes were evacuated and 1.84 million families lost electricity. About 181,300 families were left without tap water. Several domestic and international flights and trains were also suspended.

Widespread destruction

Dujuan was categorized as a "super typhoon" by regional forecasters, taking residents by surprise as it sped up before making landfall late Monday in the eastern county of Yilan.

Schools and offices in Taiwan remained shut on Tuesday and the stock market was also closed in the wake of the events.

In Hsinchu City, a crane fell from 20 storeys onto cars below but no one was injured, local reports said. Fierce winds also caused damage at Taipei's famous 101 skyscraper.

Taiwan's aboriginal mountain communities were highlighted as most at risk during typhoons, which are often accompanied by flooding and mudslides.

Typhoon Soudelor killed eight people in Taiwan last month while killing 21 in China.

Landfall in China

Preparations were under way on mainland China for the storm, which made landfall in Fujian Province early Tuesday, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Dujuan had maximum wind speeds of 119 kilometers per hour (74 mph) near its center when it reached the mainland, it was set to lose strength and become a tropical storm according to China's National Meteorological Center. It was seen as moving northwestward at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour (12 miles per hour) and was due to reach neighboring Jiangxi province by Tuesday night.

Ahead of its arrival on the mainland, thousands of fishing boats returned to shore, ports were closed and in one city, classes at schools and kindergartens were suspended, said the Xinhua news agency.

ss/msh (AP, AFP, dpa)