TAIPEI: Parts of Taiwan were brought to a standstill Wednesday as super typhoon Meranti skirted past the island’s southern tip, bringing the strongest winds in 21 years and disrupting traffic ahead of a major holiday.

Although typhoon Meranti did not make landfall, the storm brought violent winds and torrential rain to eastern and southern Taiwan.

At 0500 GMT, Meranti was 90 kilometers (56 miles) west-northwest of southernmost Hengchun township, packing gusts of up to 234 kilometers per hour.

Hengchun’s observation station recorded the strongest winds in its 120 year history earlier Wednesday, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau.

“Meranti will have its most significant impact on Taiwan today,” said forecaster Hsieh Pei-yun.

“It is the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in 21 years in terms of maximum sustained wind near the center,” she added.

Southern Kenting, a tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches, was battered by winds and floods.

Residents in a fishing port in southern Taitung county woke up to find that a small lighthouse had disappeared and believed that powerful winds blew it off into the sea, as waves almost 10 meters high lashed the shore in the area.

Trucks and cargo containers were overturned while electricity poles and trees were blown down by winds in some southern areas. One uprooted tree hit a car in southern Kaohsiung city, though the driver was unharmed.

There were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.

School and work were cancelled for most eastern and southern counties, and the typhoon has knocked out power for more than 300,000 households.

There are severe travel disruptions for the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend which starts Thursday, as over 300 domestic and international flights have been cancelled and trains running along the east coast have been halted.

More than 130 ferry services to offshore islets and to several Chinese coastal cities have also been suspended, officials said.

The coastguard was forced to cancel a ceremony to launch two new ships in Kaohsiung while a maritime and defense expo in the city has been postponed, officials said.

The storm is expected to dump as much as 800 millimeters (31.5 inches) of rain in mountainous areas, potentially triggering landslides.

Close to 1,500 people have been evacuated from at-risk areas, with about half in temporary shelters, an official tally showed.

Meranti was moving northwest into the Taiwan Strait at 18 kilometers an hour. Another storm brewing east of the Philippines may also affect Taiwan later this week.

The weather bureau’s Hsieh said tropical storm Malakas was expected to be closest to the island on Friday and Saturday, but was unlikely to make landfall.

Three people were killed and hundreds were injured in July when super typhoon Nepartak pounded Taiwan.

The island’s worst typhoon death toll came In 2009 when Morakot left more than 600 dead, including 400 people who were buried by mudslides triggered by torrential rains. AFP</s>TAIPEI: Parts of Taiwan were brought to a standstill Wednesday as the strongest typhoon of the year skirted past the island’s southern tip, knocking out power for more than 180,000 households.

Although super typhoon Meranti did not make landfall, the storm brought record strong winds and torrential rains to eastern and southern Taiwan.

At 0215 GMT, Meranti was 30 kilometres southwest of southernmost Hengchun township, packing gusts of up to 263 kilometres (163 miles an hour).

Hengchun’s observation station recorded the strongest winds in its 120 year history earlier Wednesday, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau.

“Meranti will have its most significant impact on Taiwan today,” said forecaster Hsieh Pei-yun.

Television footage showed flooded streets and violent winds in southern Kenting, a tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches.

School and work were cancelled for most eastern and southern counties while trains running along the east coast have been halted — affecting travel for the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend which starts Thursday.

The storm is expected to dump as much as 800 millimetres (31.5 inches) of rain in mountainous areas, potentially triggering landslides.

Close to 1,500 people have been evacuated from at-risk areas, with about half in temporary shelters, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.

Meranti was moving northwest into the Taiwan Strait at 18 kilometres an hour.

Another storm brewing east of the Philippines may also affect Taiwan later this week.

The weather bureau’s Hsieh said tropical storm Malakas was expected to be closest to the island on Friday and Saturday, but was unlikely to make landfall.</s>Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau warned that the Category 5 storm would threaten several southern and eastern cities, including Kaohsiung and Hualien, with strong winds, torrential rain and flooding.

Meranti, which grew in strength as it neared Taiwan, was carrying maximum winds of 216 km per hour (134 mph), meteorologists said. Fallen power cables and trees were among some of the early damage reported.

"This typhoon is the world's strongest so far this year," weather bureau spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-yun said. "Its impact on Taiwan will peak all day today."

Companies and schools in Kaohsiung and other cities have closed and almost 1,500 residents have been evacuated, the Central Emergency Operation Center said in a statement.

Nearly 200,000 households were without power, according to the Taiwan Power Co. Most domestic flights have been canceled, including all of those from Kaohsiung airport, where international flights were also severely affected.

Taiwan will feel the full force of the typhoon through Wednesday and into Thursday before the storm barrels into China, meteorologists said.

Meranti is expected to make landfall in the southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Fujian on Thursday, where authorities were already cancelling train services and preparing to evacuate people, state media said.

Typhoon Meranti comes just over two months after the deadly typhoon Nepartak cut power, grounded flights and forced thousands to flee their homes across central and southern areas of Taiwan.

In 2009, Typhoon Morakot cut a swath of destruction through southern Taiwan, killing about 700 people and causing up to $3 billion of damage.</s>"This typhoon is the world's strongest so far this year," says weather bureau.

Tens of thousands of homes lost power across Taiwan on Wednesday as Super Typhoon Meranti hit the island, a storm seen as the strongest in the world so far this year, forcing schools and businesses to close and flights to be cancelled.

Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau warned that the Category 5 storm would threaten several southern and eastern cities, including Kaohsiung and Hualien, with strong winds, torrential rain and flooding.

Meranti, which grew in strength as it neared Taiwan, was carrying maximum winds of 216 km per hour, meteorologists said. Fallen power cables and trees were among some of the early damage reported.

“This typhoon is the world's strongest so far this year,” weather bureau spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-yun said. “Its impact on Taiwan will peak all day today.”

Companies and schools in Kaohsiung and other cities have closed and almost 1,500 residents have been evacuated, the Central Emergency Operation Center said in a statement.

Nearly 200,000 households were without power, according to the Taiwan Power Co. Most domestic flights have been cancelled, including all of those from Kaohsiung airport, where international flights were also severely affected.

Taiwan will feel the full force of the typhoon through Wednesday and into Thursday before the storm barrels into China, meteorologists said.

Meranti is expected to make landfall in the southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Fujian on Thursday, where authorities were already cancelling train services and preparing to evacuate people, state media said.

Typhoon Meranti comes just over two months after the deadly typhoon Nepartak cut power, grounded flights and forced thousands to flee their homes across central and southern areas of Taiwan.

In 2009, Typhoon Morakot cut a swath of destruction through southern Taiwan, killing about 700 people and causing up to $3 billion of damage.</s>TAIPEI: Parts of Taiwan were brought to a standstill Wednesday as super typhoon Meranti skirted past the island’s southern tip, bringing the strongest winds in 21 years and disrupting traffic ahead of a major holiday.

Although typhoon Meranti did not make landfall, the storm brought violent winds and torrential rain to eastern and southern Taiwan.

At 0500 GMT, Meranti was 90 kilometers (56 miles) west-northwest of southernmost Hengchun township, packing gusts of up to 234 kilometers per hour.

Hengchun’s observation station recorded the strongest winds in its 120 year history earlier Wednesday, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau.

“Meranti will have its most significant impact on Taiwan today,” said forecaster Hsieh Pei-yun.

“It is the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in 21 years in terms of maximum sustained wind near the center,” she added.

Southern Kenting, a tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches, was battered by winds and floods.

Residents in a fishing port in southern Taitung county woke up to find that a small lighthouse had disappeared and believed that powerful winds blew it off into the sea, as waves almost 10 meters high lashed the shore in the area.

Trucks and cargo containers were overturned while electricity poles and trees were blown down by winds in some southern areas. One uprooted tree hit a car in southern Kaohsiung city, though the driver was unharmed.

There were no reports of fatalities or serious injuries, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.

School and work were cancelled for most eastern and southern counties, and the typhoon has knocked out power for more than 300,000 households.

There are severe travel disruptions for the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend which starts Thursday, as over 300 domestic and international flights have been cancelled and trains running along the east coast have been halted.

More than 130 ferry services to offshore islets and to several Chinese coastal cities have also been suspended, officials said.

The coastguard was forced to cancel a ceremony to launch two new ships in Kaohsiung while a maritime and defense expo in the city has been postponed, officials said.

The storm is expected to dump as much as 800 millimeters (31.5 inches) of rain in mountainous areas, potentially triggering landslides.

Close to 1,500 people have been evacuated from at-risk areas, with about half in temporary shelters, an official tally showed.

Meranti was moving northwest into the Taiwan Strait at 18 kilometers an hour. Another storm brewing east of the Philippines may also affect Taiwan later this week.

The weather bureau’s Hsieh said tropical storm Malakas was expected to be closest to the island on Friday and Saturday, but was unlikely to make landfall.

Three people were killed and hundreds were injured in July when super typhoon Nepartak pounded Taiwan.

The island’s worst typhoon death toll came In 2009 when Morakot left more than 600 dead, including 400 people who were buried by mudslides triggered by torrential rains. AFP</s>Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy.</s>"This typhoon is the world's strongest so far this year," says weather bureau.

Tens of thousands of homes lost power across Taiwan on Wednesday as Super Typhoon Meranti hit the island, a storm seen as the strongest in the world so far this year, forcing schools and businesses to close and flights to be cancelled.

Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau warned that the Category 5 storm would threaten several southern and eastern cities, including Kaohsiung and Hualien, with strong winds, torrential rain and flooding.

Meranti, which grew in strength as it neared Taiwan, was carrying maximum winds of 216 km per hour, meteorologists said. Fallen power cables and trees were among some of the early damage reported.

“This typhoon is the world's strongest so far this year,” weather bureau spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-yun said. “Its impact on Taiwan will peak all day today.”

Companies and schools in Kaohsiung and other cities have closed and almost 1,500 residents have been evacuated, the Central Emergency Operation Center said in a statement.

Nearly 200,000 households were without power, according to the Taiwan Power Co. Most domestic flights have been cancelled, including all of those from Kaohsiung airport, where international flights were also severely affected.

Taiwan will feel the full force of the typhoon through Wednesday and into Thursday before the storm barrels into China, meteorologists said.

Meranti is expected to make landfall in the southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Fujian on Thursday, where authorities were already cancelling train services and preparing to evacuate people, state media said.

Typhoon Meranti comes just over two months after the deadly typhoon Nepartak cut power, grounded flights and forced thousands to flee their homes across central and southern areas of Taiwan.

In 2009, Typhoon Morakot cut a swath of destruction through southern Taiwan, killing about 700 people and causing up to $3 billion of damage.</s>Tens of thousands of homes lost power across Taiwan on Wednesday as Super Typhoon Meranti hit the island, a storm seen as the strongest in the world so far this year, forcing schools and businesses to close and flights to be cancelled.

 Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau warned that the Category 5 storm would threaten several southern and eastern cities, including Kaohsiung and Hualien, with strong winds, torrential rain and flooding.

 Meranti, which grew in strength as it neared Taiwan, was carrying maximum winds of 216 km per hour (134 mph), meteorologists said. Fallen power cables and trees were among some of the early damage reported.

 ‘This typhoon is the world’s strongest so far this year,’ weather bureau spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-yun said. ‘Its impact on Taiwan will peak all day today.’

 Companies and schools in Kaohsiung and other cities have closed and almost 1,500 residents have been evacuated, the Central Emergency Operation Center said in a statement.

 Nearly 200,000 households were without power, according to the Taiwan Power Co. Most domestic flights have been cancelled, including all of those from Kaohsiung airport, where international flights were also severely affected.

 Taiwan will feel the full force of the typhoon through Wednesday and into Thursday before the storm barrels into China, meteorologists said.

 Meranti is expected to make landfall in the southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Fujian on Thursday, where authorities were already cancelling train services and preparing to evacuate people, state media said.

 Typhoon Meranti comes just over two months after the deadly typhoon Nepartak cut power, grounded flights and forced thousands to flee their homes across central and southern areas of Taiwan.

 In 2009, Typhoon Morakot cut a swath of destruction through southern Taiwan, killing about 700 people and causing up to $3 billion of damage.</s>Parts of Taiwan were brought to a standstill Wednesday as the strongest typhoon of the year skirted past the island's southern tip, knocking out power for more than 180,000 households.

Although super typhoon Meranti did not make landfall, the storm brought record strong winds and torrential rains to eastern and southern Taiwan.

At 0215 GMT, Meranti was 30 kilometres southwest of southernmost Hengchun township, packing gusts of up to 263 kilometres (163 miles an hour).

Hengchun's observation station recorded the strongest winds in its 120 year history earlier Wednesday, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau.

"Meranti will have its most significant impact on Taiwan today," said forecaster Hsieh Pei-yun.

Television footage showed flooded streets and violent winds in southern Kenting, a tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches.

School and work were cancelled for most eastern and southern counties while trains running along the east coast have been halted -- affecting travel for the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend which starts Thursday.

The storm is expected to dump as much as 800 millimetres (31.5 inches) of rain in mountainous areas, potentially triggering landslides.

Close to 1,500 people have been evacuated from at-risk areas, with about half in temporary shelters, according to the Central Emergency Operation Center.

Meranti was moving northwest into the Taiwan Strait at 18 kilometres an hour.

Another storm brewing east of the Philippines may also affect Taiwan later this week.

The weather bureau's Hsieh said tropical storm Malakas was expected to be closest to the island on Friday and Saturday, but was unlikely to make landfall.</s>Xiamen, China (CNN) Typhoon Meranti struck China after pounding Taiwan, making landfall early on Thursday near Xiamen in Fujian Province.

Morning light revealed empty streets covered in broken glass, from shattered windows on surrounding office buildings.

"I have never seen anything so scary in my entire life," 72-year-old Ma Wenhua, who lives and works in Xiamen, told CNN. "We had to put so many buckets out to catch all the leaks."

Despite the winds lessening after landfall, they were strong enough to knock down trees, break windows and push a large inflated moon down the city's streets. The moon had been part of a display to mark the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Loose moon balloon rolls around Fuzhou, China, as Super Typhoon Meranti barrels through https://t.co/HCybtJw4vh pic.twitter.com/ASFWkzF9Pf

An 800-year-old Song dynasty wooden bridge was washed away in Yongchun county in Fujian, the local tourism bureau reported.

"The whole city is heartbroken! The bridge had withstood a long and stormy history but had no luck with Meranti," a statement said.

The powerful storm first raked southern Taiwan, bringing torrential rains and winds of up to 230 mph (370 kilometers per hour) -- faster than a Formula One race car.

One person died and 44 people were injured as the typhoon surged over the island, according to a Taiwan Red Cross spokeswoman.

"Typhoon Merandi is away from the Taiwan main island, but still our staff and volunteers are in the mobilization preparation," she said.

More than 900,000 households had lost power, the spokeswoman confirmed, while another 500,000 had issues with water supply. Hundreds of thousands were also waiting for repairs, she said.

When it made landfall over mainland China, the storm's maximum sustained winds were 145 mph (230 kph) with gusts of up to 175 mph (280 kph).

"The storm was most intense from 1 a.m. til 3.30 a.m. where our hotel was swaying significantly back and forth. Water was streaming into our rooms," CNN correspondent Matt Rivers said from Xiamen.

It is a holiday in China and many people were home or traveling to see family. Winds were still blowing harshly in Xiamen and other coastal cities.

"There's only been one other tropical system in modern history that was able to get to a strength of over 110 mph (180kph) and sustain that for over 24 hours," CNN meteorologist Tom Sater said.

By the time the typhoon reached China, however, it had already slowed significantly due to its interaction with Taiwan, Sater said.

"It's those outer bands that interact with (Taiwan's) high terrain -- the outer bands are like the exhaust system of a car, if the eye is the engine ... it just rips apart the exhaust system and it starts to choke. It did a good thing for China," he said.

Meranti's strength had prompted China to issue its highest warning for high ocean waves as emergency crews and officials prepared for the deluge.

Despite Typhoon Meranti weakening quickly as it continues to move inland, heavy rainfall and flash flooding, as well as dangerous winds, will continue for the next 48 hours.

Mudslides will be possible in eastern China.

Despite being a frequent target for powerful Pacific typhoons, Taiwan has a track record of limiting their deadly impact. But storms often turn deadlier as they move toward China.

The flatter terrain -- prone to storm surges and inland flooding -- and higher population density often result in a great number of deaths or displacement of people.

Despite weakening to a tropical storm, Nepartak and its associated heavy rainfall of up to 10 inches killed more than 80 people.
Typhoon Meranti hits southern Taiwan with record breaking winds and heavy rains, disrupting transport and knocking out power to tens of thousands of people.