Typhoon Saola brushed past the northern and central Philippines this week, dumping as much as 1.5 feet of rain on the nation. Officials say nearly 180,000 people have been displaced by severe flooding and at least 23 people have died. The Office of Civil Defense reported about 2,700 homes were damaged or destroyed.
Saola made landfall in northeast Taiwan around 4 a.m. Thursday. The storm was packing 98 mph winds and dumped nearly 6 feet of rain in the northern mountainous region of Taipingshan. Saola weakened to a tropical storm by the afternoon, but continued to soak Taiwan with steady rainfall.
In some areas, the rain threatens to make already swollen rivers overflow. Flooding has already occurred in many areas, forcing residents to seek shelter on higher ground. At least 5 people have died and two people remain missing. The Defense Ministry has assembled nearly 50,000 troops to help alleviate the impact of the storm.
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