MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour (18 meters per second) have been reported across almost all of Taiwan, The Weather Channel said. The highest reported gust wind had a speed of 145 miles per hour (64.7 meters per second).
Two people died after they were swept away by high surf waves on the east coast of Taiwan on Thursday, before typhoon Soudelor arrived, according to The Weather Channel.
On Friday, schools and government offices in some parts of Taiwan were closed and a number of domestic and international flights were canceled as damaging winds and flooding rains approached.
Soudelor became the strongest typhoon this year on Monday, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.