Typhoon Saomai was headed for Taiwan with winds up to 144 kilometres (90 miles) per hour, the weather bureau said, adding that it was gathering speed and was set to hit the north and northeast late Wednesday.

China Airlines cancelled its scheduled two flights to and from Okinawa while three other airlines called off their flights to the southeastern county of Taitung.

Residents were urged to take precautions against the heavy rains and powerful winds, while those in mountainous regions were told to watch out for mudslides.

Saomai, the Vietnamese word for the planet Venus, was about 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Keelung city at 1000 GMT. It was moving at 28 kilometres per hour.

Tropical Storm Bopha drenched Taitung earlier before losing strength and veering away.

Last month another tropical storm, Bilis, left three dead and two wounded in while Typhoon Kaemi injured four people. Both storms claimed hundreds of lives in mainland China.

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