Hong Kong has shut schools, offices and financial markets and millions of people have raced home as the most powerful typhoon of the year roared toward the south China coast.
At 7 p.m. (noon Irish time), Typhoon Dujuan was about 100 km (60 miles) east of Hong Kong, packing torrential rain and powerful winds.
The storm, moving west at about 30 km per hour, ripped into southeastern Taiwan overnight, cutting power to over half a million homes. A 54-year-old man drowned after falling off a breakwater into the sea and at least one person was missing after being swept into a swollen river.
More than 12 people were trapped in mountainous areas.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued typhoon warning signal Number 8 - the territory's third-highest storm alert -indicating gale or storm force winds of 63 to 117 km/h are expected and gusts may exceed 180 km/h. The government told members of the public to return home at once.
No major incidents have been reported, but the typhoon is disrupting traffic at the Hong Kong International Airport, with 134 flights cancelled and 94 delayed.
Six or seven typhoons pass near Hong Kong each year, but direct hits are rare. In 2001, one person died when Typhoon Utor tore through the territory.
The deadliest in recent decades was Typhoon Wanda in 1962, which killed 130 people, left 53 missing and sank or wrecked nearly 1,300 small ships.