Typhoon Soudelor batters Taiwan

The storm – with winds of more than 230km/h (142mph) – made landfall on the eastern coast early on Saturday and is now moving across the island.

Officials said more than 2 million people have lost power. Among the dead are two twin sisters, as well as a 7-year-old girl and her mother.

A firefighter who was trying to clear a downed tree from a road was killed by a drunk driver, the agency said, and 27 injuries were reported.

Huge power… A damaged tree after typhoon Soudelor hit Taipei.

People battle strong wind and heavy rain in Hangzhou, China, as Typhoon “Soudelor” approaches.

Taiwanese airlines have announced flight adjustments, canceling a number of domestic and global flights for Saturday, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

Although authorities had warned it might strengthen before it hit Taiwan, wind speeds near its centre remained at 173 km per hour (108 mph) as it made landfall early Saturday.

The defence ministry said it had readied 100 shelters that could accommodate more than 45,000 people while around 35,000 soldiers were on standby for disaster relief.

Yesterday, marine police rescued 55 university students and teachers had trapped on a small island where they had been attending a summer camp, after strong gales stopped ferry services, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

A woman holds her umbrella while walking against strong winds as Typhoon Soudelor approaches Taiwan.

The Tropical Storm Risk website downgraded the typhoon to a category 1 storm by Saturday afternoon, on a scale of 1 to 5, and indicated it could weaken as it moves towards the Chinese province of Fujian, which it is due to hit late on Saturday.

Parts of northern Taiwan have picked up more than 30 centimeters (12 inches) of rain in 24 hours, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau.

The Central Weather Bureau said residents in central southern Taiwan should be on severe weather alert, even as Soudelor moves away from the island and barrels toward China, according to the China Post. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) A maintenance worker views a mangled rooftop brought down by strong winds from Typhoon Soudelor in Taipei, Taiwan, Saturday, August 8, 2015.