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.

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

Typhoon Podul has made landfall in southeastern Taiwan, where schools and government offices are closed to wait out the storm.