Updated 14:55.

A POWERFUL TYPHOON has killed at least six people in Taiwan.

A mother and her eight-year-old daughter were the first casualties, they were swept out to sea and died as the storm approached.

A firefighter in southern Pintung county has also been killed and a man in the coastal town of Suao, who was hit by a falling billboard.

Typhoon Soudelor has also injured nearly 30 other people. One elderly woman in eastern Taitung told Formosa TV:

I’ve never seen such a powerful typhoon in my 60 years of life.

Torrential rain and high wind of up to 147 miles per hour battered the island and have left almost 700,000 homes without electricity.

PHOTOS: Mother and daughter swept out to sea by powerful typhoon

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A spokesman for Taoyuan fire agency told AFP, “Flash mudslides surged into the village. About 10 of the homes were half buried but people were evacuated last night and are in safe shelters.”

After leaving behind a trail of devastation in Taiwan the typhoon in now heading for mainland China.

Around 158,000 people have already been evacuated from the mainland Chinese province of Fujian.

Additional reporting AFP.

Originally published 09:10am.

Read: Almost a million people have been evacuated from China’s east coast>

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Read: Almost a million people have been evacuated from China’s east coast>

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.