Typhoon Nepartak has ripped through Taiwan, peeling open buildings, overturning cars and downing trees.

Three people died and 142 others were injured after winds reaching up to 140mph smashed into the east coast of the country.

The typhoon made it to landfall at dawn on Friday in Taitung county - where most people have been injured.

One man was killed after he was swept away into a river in Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan, reports the South China Morning Post.

In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-1.jpg Frontier soldiers run as a storm surge hits the coastline under the influence of Typhoon Fitow in Wenling, Zhejiang province Reuters In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-7.jpg A huge wave hits the dike as Typhoon Fitow moves to make its landfall in Wenling, east China's Zhejiang province Getty Images In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-6.jpg Paramilitary policemen pull up a vehicle overturned by a storm surge near the coastline, under the influence of Typhoon Fitow in Yuhuan, Zhejiang province Reuters In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-5.jpg People take pictures of a storm surge under the influence of Typhoon Fitow in Wenling, Zhejiang province Reuters In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-3.jpg Rescuers transporting a boat in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang province before typhoon Fitow made its landfall Getty Images In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-10.jpg A huge wave hits the dike as guards run along it Typhoon Fitow moves to make its landfall in Wenling, east China's Zhejiang province Getty Images In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-2.jpg Rescuers helping evacuate residents in typhoon-hit area in Cangnan, east China's Zhejiang province Getty Images In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-9.jpg Huge waves hit the dike as Typhoon Fitow moves to make its landfall in Wenling, east China's Zhejiang province Getty Images In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-8.jpg A woman looks on as a huge wave hits the dike as Typhoon Fitow moves to make its landfall in Wenling, east China's Zhejiang province Getty Images In pictures: Typhoon Fitow hits China typhoon-fitow-4.jpg People dodge as a storm surge hits the coastline under the influence of Typhoon Fitow in Wenling, Zhejiang province Reuters

Another was killed when they were struck by a piece of furniture, lifted up by the tropical storm.

On Dongying, a Taiwanese Island, a soldier fell into the sea. His body was later retrieved.

Nepartak, the first typhoon to form in the north-west Pacific this year, is now on its way towards mainland China.

Areas in southern Taiwan have been flooded and the typhoon cut off power to more than 360,000 homes, although most areas had regained electricity by Friday afternoon.

The storm hit the coast as a Category 4 typhoon, the second most powerful sort, according the forecasting agency Tropical Storm Risk. But the typhoon was downgraded to a Category 2 later in the afternoon, as it headed towards China.

As the super typhoon charged its way across the Pacific towards Taiwan on Wednesday, thousands of tourists were evacuated and more than 35,000 soldiers were placed on standby to help.