Typhoon Saola kills 44 in Philippines, Taiwan (PHOTOS)
Local residents wade in flood waters in Wuche, in eastern Ilan county, as typhoon Saola approches the island’s east coast on August 2, 2012.
Typhoon Saola claimed a total of 44 lives in Taiwan and the Philippines as of Friday, as Typhoon Damrey made landfall in China, killing two.
Thirty-nine deaths were recorded in the Philippines due to floods and accidents caused by the storm, the country's Office of Civil Defense told The Hindu. At least two others were missing, and 154,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes, according to Insurance Journal.
Saola also claimed five lives in Taiwan, including one man who was buried by mudslides and a police officer who drowned while patrolling the area, according to Australia's ABC Network News.
The storm made landfall in Taiwan early Thursday morning on the country's east coast, bringing winds of up to 118 kilometers per hour and gusts of 155 kilometers per hour, according to the Business Recorder.
Almost 200 flights to the region were canceled as a result of the storms, and financial trading has been suspended, Australia Network News reported.
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Though the storm did not make landfall in the Philippines and has passed by the islands, the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that Saola was exacerbating the monsoon rains, continuing flash floods and landslides, the Bangkok Post reported.
Six of the country's six northern provinces, as well as the capital Manilla, remained flooded as of Friday. Officials said it could take all weekend for the waters to recede, ABC News reported.
Saola made landfall in China on Friday, after being downgraded to a tropical storm, the Hindu reported.
It is the second cyclone to make landfall in China this week, after Typhoon Damrey hit eastern China on Thursday night.
However, the damage in China is "expected to be minimal," according to Dr. Peter Sousounis, senior principal atmospheric scientist at AIR Worldwide.
"There may be instances of roof and wall cladding damage to poorly built structures, including masonry dwellings (which dominate China’s residential building stock) and non-engineered commercial structures," said Dr. Sousounis, according to the Hindu. "The main concern remains precipitation-induced flooding, as rainfall of up to 400 mm [15 ¾ inches] is forecast in coastal regions.”
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