Taiwan has put its military units on standby and closed schools and offices across several counties on Tuesday, as the island braces for a powerful typhoon set to make landfall in the next couple days,

Mapped: Typhoon Krathon heads to Taiwan after lashing Philippines - Meteorologists warn it is ‘rare’ for such a powerful typhoon to make a direct hit on Taiwan’s western plains

A powerful typhoon lashed the northernmost islands of the Philippines Monday, prompting warnings and evacuations. Typhoon Krathon was last tracked over the coastal waters of Balintang island off the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes with sustained winds of up to 175 kph (109 mph),