The central weather bureau issued land and sea warnings yesterday about the approach of Typhoon Toraji.
The bureau warned vessels in Bashi channel and waters off the southeastern and northeastern coasts to take precautions against the typhoon.
Toraji was picking up speed and was expected to bring strong winds and torrential rain to eastern Taiwan and Orchid and Green islands.
"The storm is expected to threaten eastern Hualien, Taitung and southern Hengchun peninsula as it is moving toward Bashi channel," the bureau said.
Toraji was 420km southeast of Taiwan's southernmost tip, Oluanpi, at 8:20pm last night.
Packing winds of around 170km per hour, Toraji was moving northwest towards Taiwan at 17kph, the bureau said.
By 8pm this evening the entire country is expected to be within the storm's reach.
Taiwan has been battered by a series of storms this typhoon season.
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