Taiwan evacuates 8,300 and shuts schools before tropical storm brushes island

Taiwan has evacuated 8,300 radical and closed schools earlier a tropical tempest brushes the confederate portion of the land aboriginal Wednesday

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan evacuated much than 8,300 radical from coastal and mountainous areas and closed schools earlier a tropical tempest brushes the confederate portion of the land aboriginal Wednesday.

Fung-wong had ace typhoon spot erstwhile it battered the Philippines connected Sunday, causing flooding, landslides, powerfulness outages and astatine slightest 27 deaths. Still holding tropical tempest spot Wednesday morning, it was expected to proceed losing upwind velocity and size arsenic it approached Taiwan.

Heavy rains and flooding injured astatine slightest 51 radical arsenic of Wednesday morning, according to the National Fire Agency.

Authorities evacuated 8,326 people, the bulk from the eastbound Hualien County, wherever a typhoon successful September near 18 dead.

An overflowing creek flooded a colony successful Hualien connected Tuesday. Images carried by section media showed a car being swept distant by floodwater.

Schools and offices were closed successful cardinal and confederate parts of Taiwan including the coastal cities of Kaohsiung, Taichung and Tainan arsenic good arsenic Pingtung, Chiayi and Miaoli counties. The capital, Taipei, successful the island’s north, operated arsenic usual.

As of Wednesday morning, Fung-wong was astir 140 kilometers (87 miles) southwest of Taiwan successful the South China Sea, moving northeast astatine 16 kph (10 mph). It was expected to marque landfall during the day oregon evening and graze the confederate portion of the land earlier exiting from its southeastern side.

The tempest had maximum sustained winds of 65 kph (40 mph) and higher gusts.

Authorities warned residents astir the land to debar going to the beach, wherever waves were expected to emergence to astir 3 to 5 meters (10 to 16.4 feet). Signboards, fences and flowerpots were to beryllium secured successful anticipation of beardown winds.

In the Philippines, much than 623,300 radical remained successful evacuation centers Wednesday, according to the Office of Civil Defense.

Several of the deaths successful the Philippines occurred successful landslides successful the Cordillera, a six-province mountainous portion fashionable among backpackers and vacationers for its conifer tree-dotted towns, chill breezes, strawberry fields and mountainside atom terraces.

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Associated Press writer Jim Gomez successful Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.

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