Typhoon Saola has made landfall on the Taiwan Island. Since Tuesday, the north and north-east of the island have seen heavy rainstorms. The downpour has caused severe landslides and floods.

The ninth Typhoon of the year has unleashed heavy rainstorms. Saola made landfall on Thursday morning in Hualien City on the east coast of Taiwan Island. Gusts reached 155 kilometres per hour.And it's left devastation in its wake.

Northeast areas were the first to be hit, with up to 800 millimetres of rainfall.

Gale force winds caused large tidal waves in Hualien City's coastal areas. The downpour has also triggered severe landslides.Local authorities have dispatched emergency teams to clear and repair damaged roads.

An emergency worker said, "There's a 4-meter deep hole in the road in Keelung City. Gas supply lines have also been cut off. Floods have swept the counties of Pingtung and Kaohsiung in the south of the Island."

Taiwan has issued warnings of torrential rain and tidal waves. Major cities and counties across the island, including Taipei, Xinbei, and Kaohsiung, have announced school and office closures in response to the severe weather conditions. 45 flights have been cancelled.

It's estimated that Saola will bring as much as 15 hundred millimetres of rainfall to the north of Taiwan Island, compared with an annual average of 20-hundred millimetres of rainfall.

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