Taipei: Thousands of people were evacuated and several towns flooded as Typhoon Fung Wong swept across Taiwan on Tuesday, bringing record rainfall and triggering widespread damage. Although the storm weakened before landfall, it caused heavy floods and landslides across the island’s eastern coast.

More than 8,300 residents were evacuated from vulnerable areas in Yilan and Hualien counties, where rainfall exceeded 600 millimeters in a single day. The harbour town of Suao recorded one of the highest rainfalls, leading to severe flooding in homes and streets. Officials reported at least 51 people injured as rescue teams worked around the clock to move stranded families to safety.

The typhoon earlier battered the Philippines, where 27 people died and over a million were displaced due to flooding and landslides. Taiwanese authorities had closed schools and offices ahead of the storm, and hundreds of flights were cancelled. Despite the strong winds and heavy rain, northern industrial hubs such as Hsinchu, home to major tech factories, were not significantly affected.

Soldiers and emergency workers used boats and heavy equipment to rescue residents from submerged villages. Photos from eastern Taiwan showed neck-deep waters in some communities, while power and transportation services were disrupted in many regions.

Officials warned that more landslides could occur as the ground remains saturated from continuous rain. The Central Weather Administration said the storm is now moving away from the island but urged people to stay alert for secondary hazards.

Meteorologists noted that the unusually late arrival of the typhoon could be linked to changing weather patterns. They said warmer sea temperatures and shifting monsoon seasons might be influencing the timing and intensity of tropical storms in East Asia.

Authorities have started assessing the full extent of the damage and are setting up temporary shelters for displaced families. Relief operations are ongoing in both the Philippines and Taiwan as cleanup efforts continue after one of the region’s heaviest storms this year.