Typhoon Saola leaves 5 dead, 2 missing in Taiwan

Inclement weather brought by Typhoon Saola since Wednesday has left five people dead, two missing and 16 more injured in Taiwan, the island's emergency operation center announced Thursday evening.

Saola, which started heading northwest from the island's eastern coast starting Wednesday and made landfall twice Thursday, dumped heavy rains and generated strong winds in Taiwan, causing school and office closures and flight disruptions. It also forced the relocation of more than 8,000 people.

Over the past three hours, the strength of Saola, which was degraded to a tropical storm Thursday afternoon, has continued to decrease, the agency said, according to weather forecast data released at 10 p.m. Thursday.

Currently located some 90 km north of Taipei, the typhoon's center is moving northwest towards the Chinese mainland at an estimated speed of 23 km per hour, with sustained winds reaching a maximum speed of 90 km per hour at the center, the agency said.

The typhoon's storm circle has already hit the outlying island of Matsu. But north Taiwan, including Taoyuan and Taichung, is likely to continue to see heavy rain, according to weather forecasts.

Taiwanese authorities have maintained typhoon warnings for land and sea areas, urging precautions against landslides, flooding and high waves.

According to the island's agricultural authorities, natural disasters triggered by Typhoon Saola have cost Taiwan an estimated 218 million new Taiwanese dollars (7 million U.S. dollars) in agricultural losses as of 4 p.m. Thursday.