Chinese Taipei cancels flights, shuts schools ahead of typhoon

Chinese Taipei cancelled flights and closed schools in parts of its southern region on Wednesday ahead of the expected landfall of Typhoon Koinu, the second major storm in a month to hit the island directly.

Ahead of Thursday's storm, more than 100 international and domestic flights were cancelled, and ferry services to it's outlying islands were halted.  About 200 people were evacuated for fear of landslides in the south of the island, while waves lashing the coast could reach up to seven meters high.  The typhoon has already brought heavy rains to the mountainous northeast regions of Yilan and New Taipei City.