Dozens killed as Typhoon Gaemi hits Taiwan and Philippines

At least 25 people have died with more than 380 reportedly injured after Typhoon Gaemi made landfall in Taiwan and the Philippines.

The storm swept up the western Pacific, leaving 22 people dead in the Philippines from flooding and landslides, with at least three people missing according to police.

In Taiwan three people are said to have been killed.

Offices and schools in the country were closed for the second consecutive day on Thursday and people were urged to stay home and away from the coastline.

The island is regularly hit by typhoons and has boosted its warning systems, but its topography, high population density and high-tech economy make it difficult to avoid losses when such storms hit.

People wade through a flooded street in Manila, Philippines. / Credit: AP

The Philippine coast guard reported that an oil tanker, MT Terra Nova, loaded with about 1.4 million liters (370,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil sank off Limay town in Bataan province early Thursday.

Transport secretary Jaime Bautista said 15 or 16 crew members had been saved from the ship and it was not immediately clear if the sinking was related to the weather.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered authorities to speed up efforts to deliver food and other aid to isolated rural villages.

“People there may not have eaten for days,” Marcos said in a televised emergency meeting.

The storm’s effects are expected to continue into Friday as it moves towards mainland China.

In Fujian province on China’s east coast, ferry routes were suspended on Wednesday and all train service will be halted on Thursday, China’s official Xinhua News Agency said.