Typhoon Podul pummels Taiwan, heads towards China

Wind gusts of up to 178 kilometres (111 miles) per hour were recorded shortly before the typhoon slammed into Taitung County, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. 

One person is missing after he went fishing and was swept away, and 112 have been injured, disaster officials said.

More than 8,000 people were evacuated from their homes. 

As Podul swept across storm-battered central and southern areas of Taiwan, it toppled dozens of trees and triggered flooding.

Streets in the port city of Kaohsiung were littered with fallen branches. 

Several hours after making landfall, Podul had entered the Taiwan Strait.

"Kaohsiung, Tainan and Chiayi will become major rainfall hotspots tonight, with increasing rain also expected in Penghu and Kinmen," CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen told a briefing attended by President Lai Ching-te.

All domestic flights across the island of 23 million people were cancelled on Wednesday, along with dozens of international journeys.

More than 63,000 households were still without power. 

High-speed rail services on the west coast were reduced, while train services in the southeast were cancelled. 

Many ferry services were also suspended, and businesses and schools across the south closed.

More than 31,500 soldiers were ready to assist in rescue and relief efforts, disaster officials said.

The CWA expects mountain areas in Kaohsiung and Tainan could be hit with a cumulative 400-600 millimetres (16-24 inches) of rain from Tuesday to Thursday.

Podul is expected to make landfall in China along the coast between Xiamen, Fujian and Shantou, Guangdong, from Wednesday night to Thursday morning, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said. 

Some schools in Guangdong have paused classes while train and ferry services have been temporarily halted, it said. 

Parts of other provinces such as Hunan and Jiangxi in central China will also see heavy to torrential rain, CCTV added.