Powerful typhoon makes landfall in Taiwan

A powerful typhoon struck Taiwan early Monday, closing schools and businesses and grounding domestic and international air traffic.

Typhoon Fung Wong made landfall on the east central coast just before daybreak, packing winds of 105 miles per hour.

It is expected to drop up to 36 inches of rain on the central portion of the island and perhaps half of that much on its southern and northern extremities, including the capital of Taipei.

Fung Wong hit Taiwan just a week after tropical storm Kalmaegi killed 19 people and left six others missing on the island.

Authorities provided sandbags on Sunday to citizens in low-lying areas. Officials said dozens of villagers were evacuated from a mountainous region in southern Kaohsiung where several houses were buried by mudslides caused by Kalmaegi.

Typhoons frequently hit Taiwan between July and September, often causing casualties in mountainous regions prone to landslides and flash floods.