Storm kills one, injures nine in Taiwan

At least one person has been killed and nine others are injured as Tropical Storm Bailu moved across Taiwan.

In Tainan City, an 18-year-old motorcyclist died after he hit a fallen tree late on Saturday, according to the Central Emergency Operation Centre. At least nine people were injured in other weather-related accidents, the centre said.

Bailu, which brought torrential rains and powerful winds, made landfall in southern Taiwan on Saturday before heading for China's southeastern coast.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 108 kilometres per hour as it approached Taiwan, according to the Central Weather Bureau.


On Saturday, eastern Hualien County recorded more than 500 millimetres of rain, the bureau said.

More than 3,400 residents in flood and landslide-prone areas across Taiwan were evacuated.

Earlier, in the Philippines, authorities said Saturday that two people were killed in landslides and floods caused by Bailu in the country's north.

The passage of Bailu damaged power poles in southern and eastern parts of Taiwan, leaving more than 117,000 households without electricity on Saturday. Authorities said Sunday that about 1,300 households were waiting for power to be restored.

Bailu weakened before it reached China's southeastern coast early on Sunday, weather officials said.

Australian Associated Press