Taiwan, October 3: An approaching typhoon bringing strong winds and torrential rainfall to Taiwan killed two people and injured more than 100 people over the past few days while forcing thousands to evacuate from low-lying or mountainous areas. At least 102 people were injured and two people died due to weather conditions attributed to Typhoon Krathon, Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Center said on Wednesday.

One elderly man died after falling off a ladder while pruning tree branches in the eastern city of Hualien. Another man died after crashing into fallen rocks while driving in Taitung county. Two others were missing. The typhoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 173 kilometres per hour and gusts of 209 kilometres per hour, was expected to make landfall early on Thursday on Taiwan's densely populated west coast, according to the Central Weather Administration. The strongest winds are expected on the island's southwest portion. Typhoon Krathon: After Maritime Warning, Taiwan Issues Land Warning As Powerful Typhoon Nears.

Typhoons rarely hit Taiwan's west coast, affecting instead the mountainous eastern side of the island. At least 128 centimetres of rain has fallen in coastal Taitung county in the past four days and 43 centimetres in the major port city of Kaohsiung ahead of the typhoon. Authorities shut schools and government offices across the island and cancelled all domestic flights.

In Hualien county, more than 3,000 people were evacuated from townships vulnerable to landslides. Almost 200 people in the southwestern city of Tainan and more than 800 residents of the southern Pingtung county were also evacuated. Kaohsiung, a city of 2.7 million people expected to be directly hit by the typhoon, evacuated more than 2,500 of its residents from areas prone to mudslides and landslides. Military personnel helped evacuees into trucks, which took them to temporary shelters. Typhoon Bringing Heavy Rain Slowly Heads Toward Taiwan, Where 4,000 Have Evacuated.

Most stores and restaurants in the city remained closed for a second consecutive day. Shoppers emptied supermarket shelves of essentials including bread, meat and instant noodles. Streets and markets were eerily empty. An industrial harbour south of the city was at a standstill. Kaohsiung's international airport looked deserted, with all flights cancelled. Chan Ka Who, who had travelled there from Malaysia on vacation, said he was trying to return home but was stuck in Kaohsiung because all flights were grounded.

On Wednesday evening, the typhoon was centred about 110 kilometres southwest of Kaohsiung and was moving northeast at around 8 kilometres per hour. It has been weakening and will continue to do so after landfall, the weather administration said. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai earlier warned residents against approaching areas prone to flooding and landslides near rivers, the sea and the mountains. He likened Krathon's intensity to that of Typhoon Thelma, which in 1977 badly damaged Kaohsiung and caused 37 deaths.

Almost 40,000 troops were on standby to help with rescue efforts.

In Pingtung county, residents near a flooded harbour piled up sandbags at their doors to prevent water from getting in. People waded through streets flooded up to their ankles. The typhoon on Monday lashed the northern Philippine islands, where four people were killed and at least 5,000 were displaced, officials said.

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