Three people have died after powerful Typhoon Gaemi hit Taiwan early on Thursday, adding to the 22 people who were killed when it struck the Philippines.
More than 250 have also been reported injured in Taiwan where images have shown residents displaced from their homes in deep mud and water.
It could yet cause further tragedy and with the typhoon predicted to make landfall in south China on Thursday evening - where the storm has been upgraded to a level two.
Already, emergency plans have seen China's Wenzhou city suspend 49 scheduled passenger ferry journeys while waterways have been suspended in Zhoushan.
Trains have been suspended in Guangzhou and, while the south of the country is set to be hit the hardest, other cities - including Beijing - have given warnings of heavy rain.
More than 25,000 have been evacuated.
Outside of China, a major oil spill has also been reported in the Philippines after a tanker went down in Manila Bay when encountering huge waves.
Coast Guard spokesperson rear admiral Armando Balilo said: "There's a big danger that Manila would be affected, its shorelines, if the fuel leaks because this happened within Manila Bay.
“It's part of the contingency we're preparing for… The effect on the marine environment would not be good."
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has ordered authorities to speed up efforts to deliver food and other aid to isolated rural villages.
"People there may not have eaten for days," he said.
Here is what it means for travel.
Is it safe to travel to Taiwan and China?
The British foreign office has alerted travellers to the hazards of Typhoon Gaemi although flights are still running from the UK.
“Typhoon Gaemi is currently expected to cause hazardous weather conditions in Taiwan between Tuesday and Thursday,” the FCDO said on its website.
“Its current trajectory will see it affecting areas north of Chiayi and Taitung. Greater Taipei, Taoyuan and Yilan are likely to see high winds and heavy rain.”
The statement added: “The typhoon season in Taiwan normally runs from May to November. There’s a risk of road blockages and landslides after typhoons, especially in central and southern Taiwan.”
For China, the FCDO adds: “Typhoon Gaemi is currently expected to hit Fujian Province on Thursday. It may cause destructive winds, flooding and landslides. Monitor local weather reports and follow the advice and instructions of local authorities.”
While the immediate danger has passed in the Philippines it is a country that the FCDO does warn against travel to due to threats of terrorism and kidnapping.
Where is Typhoon Gaemi now?
Typhoon Gaemi was moving closer to south China on Thursday morning and could make landfall by the evening.
It has weakened since it hit Taiwan but is still a major weather event and equivalent to a category 3 hurricane.
