Typhoon Nepartak has hit eastern Taiwan, driving thousands of people from their homes, disrupting power supply and forcing the cancellation of more than 500 flights.

Key points: As many as 15,400 people were evacuated from their homes in preparation

As many as 15,400 people were evacuated from their homes in preparation 187,830 households suffered power outages

187,830 households suffered power outages 35,000 soldiers are on standby and more than 90 shelters have been set up

The storm was packing sustained winds of 240 kilometres per hour, and gusts at up to 296kph as it rumbled towards the eastern counties of Hualien and Taitung.

The "super-typhoon" is expected to dump torrential rain on the whole island with mountainous areas forecast to be deluged with up to 600 millimetres, potentially triggering landslides that have in the past claimed hundreds of lives.

"The wind is very strong," said a resident of Taitung, the eastern Taiwan city where the typhoon hit land.

"Many hut roofs and signs on the street have been blown off," she told the Reuters news agency.

One death and 66 injuries were reported, while bullet train services have been suspended.

All fishing boats have been called back to port as waves — as high as 14 metres, according to TV reports — battered the eastern coast.

"The typhoon could bring in strong winds and torrential rains ... residents must heighten their vigilance," senior forecaster Chen Yi-liang told reporters.

Nepartak leaped from tropical storm to the category-five equivalent of a tropical cyclone on Tuesday, and has been intensifying since.

James Reynolds of Earth Uncut TV, based in Taitung City, was hiding in his building's stairwell as the typhoon approached at 7:30am (AEST).

"Bedlam continues in Taitung, air filled with flying and crashing debris," he tweeted.

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Thousands evacuated, flights grounded

Since Tuesday, more than 3,000 visitors have been evacuated from Green Island and Orchid Island, two popular tourist spots off south-eastern Taitung county, local government officials said.

Sorry, this video has expired Auskar Surbakti speaks to professional storm chaser James Reynolds

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said more than 35,000 soldiers were on standby to help with evacuations and disaster relief, while 90 shelters had been set up.

More than 300 international and 254 domestic flights have been cancelled, an emergency services website showed, while schools and offices have also been ordered to shut.

Conditions are expected to deteriorate significantly before the storm hits, the weather bureau said.

"Its storm circle is gradually approaching the waters off south-eastern Taiwan, posing a threat to all regions and Penghu," it added.

The tropical storm had a radius of 200 kilometres and was moving west-northwest at a speed of 13 kph, the bureau added.

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In the path of the expected storm track are the Okinawa Islands, according to the Weather Network, where the impact could be much greater due to strong winds, heavy precipitation and high surf.

Once past Taiwan, Nepartak could take a turn to the north and impact the eastern coast of China near Shanghai, and as it moves up the warm waters of the East China Sea and eventually into the Yellow Sea.

Typhoon Nepartak marks the first typhoon after a record 199 days of calm, the Weather Network said.

During the same period in 2015, the region had nine typhoons, including three super typhoons of category five or more.

Super Typhoon Dujuan killed three people and left more than 300 injured in Taiwan last year after it pounded the island with fierce winds and torrential rains that uprooted trees and triggered multiple landslides.

Wires/ABC