Updated 05:40 | Published at 05:04
Close to 3,000 people in Taiwan have been evacuated ahead of Typhoon Haikui, which is expected to hit the island on Sunday.
Both schools and workplaces are closed as a result of the storm and over 220 domestic flights have been cancelled.
Haikui, which has already brought with it large amounts of rain during the morning, has a strength of nearly 39 meters per second and will be the first tropical storm in four years to hit Taiwan directly.
– I want to remind the population to prepare for the typhoon and make sure to stay safe and avoid going out, says President Tsai Ing-wen.
The military has mobilized soldiers and prepared materials in the parts of Taiwan where the storm is expected to have the greatest impact.
Haikui is expected to be less severe than Typhoon Saola, which blew past Taiwan but prompted the highest warning level for nearby Hong Kong and southern China before weakening on Saturday.