Typhoon Podul pounded Taiwan on Wednesday, shutting down businesses in the south, grounding hundreds of flights and knocking out power for tens of thousands of households.

Wind gusts of up to 178 kilometres (111 miles) per hour were recorded shortly before the typhoon made landfall in Taitung County, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.

One person is missing after he went fishing and was swept away, and 33 have been injured, the National Fire Agency said.

More than 7,300 people have been evacuated from their homes, and trees and signs have been toppled, as the storm sweeps across central and southern regions still recovering from storms last month.

"Kaohsiung, Tainan and Chiayi will become major rainfall hotspots tonight, with increasing rain also expected in Penghu and Kinme

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