Typhoon Maria halts work, classes in Taiwan

TAIPEI - Typhoon Maria, the eighth typhoon of the year, has halted work and classes in Taiwan.

The typhoon is forecast to bring strong winds and downpours to Taiwan from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, local meteorological authorities said.

As of 3 pm Tuesday, Maria was moving westerly and northwesterly in the waters off Yilan county at a speed of 30 km per hour. Authorities in Taitung county observed sea waves up to 7 meters high on Tuesday morning.

Strong rain has hit the island as the typhoon approached, and strong gusts of wind are predicted in mountainous areas of Taipei.

Meteorological authorities have issued warnings about downpours in areas including New Taipei city, Keelung, Taipei, Taoyuan, Yilan and Taichung.

The typhoon also affected transportation, with trains halted and flights canceled.