Typhoon Podul pounded Taiwan on Wednesday, shutting down businesses in the south, grounding flights and knocking out power for thousands of households, while parts of China made preparations for the storm to make landfall.

More than 5,500 people had been evacuated in advance of the typhoon’s arrival on Wednesday, according to authorities.View on euronews

A man was swept away while fishing and dozens of other people were injured as strong winds and rain battered the island.