SHANGHAI, Sept 1: China evacuated nearly 600,000 people as powerful Typhoon Talim slammed into the eastern coast on Thursday after barrelling across Taiwan, where it left two dead and dozens injured.

Talim was forecast to be the strongest storm to hit China this season and the observatory in Fujian province issued its highest-level alert, warning of potential landslides, flooding and widespread damage, Xinhua news agency said.

With a radius of 250 kilometres, Talim was packing centre winds of up to 144 kilometres per hour, according to the central weather bureau in Taiwan.

The China Meteorological Association said on its website the storm made landfall at Putian city in Fujian in late afternoon, bringing torrential rains and strong winds.

Nearly 300,000 people have been evacuated in Fujian and another 291,000 from neighbouring Zhejiang, according to local officials, while some 30,000 fishing vessels returned to harbour.

All schools in Fujian have been ordered to remain closed until Monday, an official at the province’s anti-flood headquarters told AFP. Water levels in reservoirs were lowered to combat flooding.

Talim is “probably the strongest typhoon China will experience in terms of wind this summer,” said National Meteorological Centre expert Zhang Ling.

Wang Dongfa, head of Zhejiang’s meteorological bureau, said they expected the typhoon to focus on Fujian but nevertheless warned of torrential rain to Wenzhou, Taizhou and Ningbo cites and surrounding areas.

Talim churned through Taiwan earlier Thursday, killing two people and injuring 39, at least three seriously, as strong winds and heavy rains forced offices, schools and financial markets to close.—AFP