AMN/ WEB DESK

Four people have reportedly been injured in Taiwan as Typhoon Haikui made landfall. It is the first typhoon to directly hit there in four years. Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau said Haikui made landfall near the eastern county of Taitung today afternoon.

The bureau said the maximum wind speed near its center was about 155 kilometers per hour as of today. Wind and rain are worsening in many areas. Gusts of more than 144 kilometers per hour were observed in Taitung County. Some areas in the counties of Hualien and Yilan have had more than 300 millimeters of rain since Saturday.

Haikui is expected to continue traveling westward and move away to the Taiwan Strait by early Monday. Authorities are on high alert for possible damage as the effects of strong winds and heavy rain are likely to continue through Tuesday.