Typhoon Podul crossed southern Taiwan, where authorities closed schools and government offices as heavy rain threatened more damage to agriculture in the island's southeast. No major damage was reported.

Typhoon Podul brings heavy rain to southern China after injuring scores in Taiwan - Typhoon forces nearly 8,000 people from homes in Taiwan before making another landfall in China

Typhoon Podul weakened to a severe tropical storm when it roared ashore in southeastern China early Thursday, state media said, after carving a path across Taiwan, shutting down businesses, grounding flights and knocking out power to thousands of homes.