Taiwan on Wednesday braced for the arrival of a strengthening Typhoon Gaemi, with authorities having put residents under an alert for very heavy rains and strong winds across the island.

Schools and offices were shut for the day and domestic and international flights were grounded. With around 29,000 soldiers on standby for disaster relief, President Lai Ching-te urged people to "put safety first" during a morning emergency briefing. 

Lai added the next 24 hours would be crucial for the island, as there was "a very severe challenge" for emergency services and personnel to tackle.

Two people have been killed, according to the disaster management center — one by a falling tree and the other after part of a building fell on a car — and at least 201 more people have been injured.

You can watch the live feed as Gaemi approaches Taiwan's eastern coast here.

Typhoon Gaemi expected to be the strongest storm in 8 years

Typhoon Gaemi is expected to make landfall on Taiwan's northeastern coast by 10 p.m. (1400 GMT), authorities said, with the storm estimated to bring about 1,800 mm or 70 inches of rain to southern and central Taiwan.

The first typhoon of the season to affect the island, Gaemi was packing maximum sustained winds of 190 kilometers (118 miles) per hour.

The storm has already affected Japan and the Philippines, enhancing the seasonal monsoon rains in Manila. The rains set off a dozen landslides and floods over five days, killing at least eight people, according to Philippine authorities.

After crossing the Taiwan Strait, Gaemi is likely to hit the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian late on Thursday afternoon.

Gaemi to hit rural Yilan county first

Gaemi will hit rural Yilan county first, where roads were already deserted and restaurants shut down.

"This could be the biggest typhoon in recent years. It's charging directly towards the east coast and if it makes landfall here the damage would be enormous," fishing boat captain Hung Chun told Reuters news agency.

4,000 evacuated and 200 flights grounded as Gaemi approaches

The government said more than 4,000 people had been evacuated from sparsely populated mountainous regions that were at high risk of landslides from torrential rain.

About 200 international flights, and most domestic flights, had also been canceled. Railway operations have been stopped since noon. However, a few trains between north and south Taiwan would continue to operate.

However, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest chipmaker, said its factories on the island would continue production as normal, though it has activated routine preparations.

China halts passenger trains to minimize impact from Gaemi

China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, said it would halt all passenger trains in the Fujian province on Thursday and some on Friday owing to the storm. 

Authorities said the capital Beijing could receive up to 150 millimetres (six inches) of rain in a 24-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday evening. 

They have ordered the temporary closure of some tourist spots as well as mountain and riverside hostels out of safety concerns. 

Beijing residents received text messages urging them to reduce outdoor activity, stay away from hilly or riverside areas, and take note of places of shelter.

Authorities in neighboring Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing and is home to more than 70 million people, also warned of flooding, state news agency Xinhua said.

sri, tg/rm (AP, AFP, Reuters)