TAIPEI, SEP 15: Schools and businesses were closed across Taiwan, while flights were cancelled due to Typhoon Meranti, the storm that is the strongest in the world so far this year.
International news agency Reuters reported that the typhoon also disrupted electricity supply to thousands of houses on the island.
The 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.
"Its impact on Taiwan will peak all day today," Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau Spokeswoman Hsieh Pei-yun said.
Schools and businesses were closed and almost 1,500 residents evacuated their homes, according to a statement by the Central Emergency Operation centre.
Nearly 200,000 people were left without power, according to Taiwan Power Co.
Most domestic flights have been cancelled, including all flights from Kaohsiung airport, with some international flights also affected.
Taiwan will feel the full force of the typhoon through Wednesday and into Thursday before the storm barrels into China.
