Typhoon Matmo projected to hit Taiwan

According to Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau, Typhoon Matmo is expected to make landfall early Wednesday morning. Projections suggest it will cross the Taiwan Strait and hit mainland China by the end of the day, CNN reports. On Tuesday afternoon, wind speeds were 80 knots (41 meters per second) with gusts reaching 100 knots (51 mps) southeast of Taiwan. By the time it reaches land, it is expected to have sustained wind speeds higher than 95 knots (49 mps) and gusts over 115 knots (59 mps), according to the Weather Bureau and the U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center. As Matmo passed by the Philippines, the government urged residents of the country's northern provinces to take shelter against heavy rainfall, and suspended sea travel and fishing in the region. Matmo arrives just a week after Rammasun killed more than 100 people in the Philippines and China. The China Meteorological Administration said Rammasun was the strongest storm to strike southern China since 1973. Travelers are advised to check with their airlines about the status of flights in the region.