“Super Typhoon” Dujuan hits Taiwan, two dead

A typhoon struck mainland China on Tuesday after lashing Taiwan, where it killed two, injured hundreds and left hundreds of thousands without power or water.

Dujuan battered Taiwan leaving 24 injured as torrential rain and fierce winds hit Monday evening.

Taiwan’s Central News Agency, citing the government’s emergency operations centre, said the typhoon had left two people dead, 324 injured and six mountain climbers missing.

Several domestic and global flights and trains across the island nation were suspended due to the typhoon.

During a typhoon, the bureau advises people to remain indoors, adding that this is the simplest, yet most important, tip to remember, as gusts of wind often reach risky speeds that can cause trees, signs and windows to collapse and, on a few occasions, even launch scooters into the air.

Schools and workplaces in Taiwan stay shut on Tuesday and the inventory market can also be closed.

New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu said they were from vulnerable areas, including the hot springs town of Wulai just outside Taipei.

Landslides triggered by Dujuan snapped the Suhua Highway (蘇花公路) – a highway linking Su’ao and Hualien – in Nan’ao Township (南澳鄉), Yilan County.

Bon Jovi’s live concerts originally scheduled on Monday and Tuesday in Taipei were both canceled, the local promoter said, which means there would be no concerts for the American music legends who arrived in Taiwan on Sunday. Strong gales and towering waves also hit neighbouring Zhejiang province, one of China’s industrial powerhouses, state media reported.

Dujuan’s track and strength is very similar to that of August’s Typhoon Soudelor, which caused at least 26 deaths in China and estimated damage and financial losses of $3bn.