TAIPEI, Taiwan: Southern and eastern Taiwan came to a standstill on August 13 as authorities cancelled hundreds of flights, shut down schools and offices, and evacuated thousands ahead of Typhoon Podul's expected landfall.

The mid-strength storm, with wind gusts reaching 191 kph (118 mph), is tracking toward the southeastern city of Taitung and is forecast to make landfall nearby Wednesday afternoon, according to weather officials.

Early in the day, emergency alerts were sent to residents in parts of Taitung, warning of gusts above 150 kph (93 mph) and urging people to seek shelter immediately.

Nine cities and counties suspended work and classes, including the southern hubs of Kaohsiung and Tainan. The capital, Taipei, home to Taiwan's financial markets, has so far been unaffected.

Authorities have also evacuated more than 5,500 residents, including some whose homes were damaged by a powerful typhoon in July that brought record winds and caused significant power outages in a rare strike to Taiwan's west coast.

The transport ministry reported the cancellation of all 252 domestic flights and 129 international services. Taiwan's two largest airlines, China Airlines and EVA Air, said most cancellations affected routes from Kaohsiung, with some flights from Taoyuan International Airport also grounded.

After landfall, Podul is expected to sweep across Taiwan's densely populated western coast before heading toward China's Fujian province later this week.

Forecasters warn that southern mountainous areas could see up to 600 mm (24 inches) of rain in the coming days, raising fears of flooding and landslides. Heavy rainfall has already plagued parts of southern Taiwan this month, with some areas receiving more than a year's worth of precipitation in just one week, causing deadly floods and landslides that killed four people.