Typhoon Soudelor has hit south-eastern China prompting the evacuation of thousands of people and leaving millions of homes without power.

The powerful typhoon struck Fujian province late on Saturday night, bringing rains and gale force winds, state media said.

It earlier swept across Taiwan, leaving at least five people dead.

Although it has weakened, typhoon Soudelor is expected to continue moving across the region in the coming hours.

Fujian raised its typhoon alert to the highest level in anticipation of the storm, with at least 163,000 people evacuated to higher ground. There are reports of more evacuations in neighboring Zhejiang.

Photo AP

Rail services and flights have been cancelled in the path of the storm, and schools and offices closed.

Taiwan earlier on Saturday saw winds of more than 142mph, when Soudelor made landfall.

It ripped up trees and tore down billboards, and triggered a landslide in at least one village.

Among the victims were an 8-year-old girl and her mother who were swept out to sea.

A firefighter was reportedly killed after being hit by a drunk driver as he tried to move a fallen tree.

Typhoon Soudelor gradually lost its strength as it crossed the island, but was still packing winds of up to 89mph over the strait between Taiwan and China.