A typhoon lashed heavy rain over Taiwan, triggering widespread flooding and killing at least 14 people before weakening and heading towards southeast China, officials said today.
A land warning for Taiwan was lifted as Typhoon Mindulle weakened into a tropical storm but persistent rain caused landslides and mudslides in the mountainous regions in the centre and south of the island, officials said.
The Central Weather Bureau warned of more torrential rain in the next few days.
Mindulle hit the Philippines this week, killing 23 people and forcing thousands from their homes. It was the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year.
On Taiwan, falling rocks hit a truck on a mountain road in the southern county of Chiayi, killing two passengers and injuring the driver, the disaster response centre said.
Others drowned, including a woman and her grandchild trapped in their flooded home in eastern Taiwan.
Typhoon Toraji killed 200 people in Taiwan in 2001. A few months later, Typhoon Nari caused Taipei's worst flooding on record and killed 100.