Typhoon Talim lashed Taiwan on Thursday, paralysing air and land traffic, shuttering offices and schools, and leaving at least two dead and 24 injured.
By the time Talim made landfall at 7.30am local time at Ilan in north-eastern Taiwan, it had developed two centres and pounded the island with heavy rain and strong winds.
”The typhoon speed is slowing down from 20kph to 16kph, but the force of the typhoon will linger on over Taiwan for some time, causing downpours and gusts of wind to most parts of the island,” the Central Weather Bureau said.
An elderly man drowned in the southern Tainan region, another man drowned in north-western Miaoli and 24 others were injured, the Disaster Relief Centre said, without elaborating. It said most damage from the storm was limited to fallen trees and signboards.
The typhoon knocked out power to 1,2-million homes and cut off water supplies to 620 000.
All airports were closed and train services suspended. Government offices, schools and financial markets were also closed.
Domestic and international flights were expected to resume on Thursday afternoon or evening, depending on the weather, the Disaster Reaction Centre said.
The typhoon triggered rock falls in the mountains and caused flooding in many cities, prompting the evacuation of residents.
After leaving Taiwan, Talim headed toward China’s south-eastern coast. — Sapa-DPA