Taiwan has put its military units on standby and closed schools and offices across several counties on Tuesday, as the island braces for a powerful typhoon set to make landfall in the next couple days,

Mapped: Typhoon Krathon heads to Taiwan after lashing Philippines - Meteorologists warn it is ‘rare’ for such a powerful typhoon to make a direct hit on Taiwan’s western plains

A powerful typhoon is lashing the northernmost islands of the Philippines, where officials are warning of “potentially very destructive” damage to coastal villages.

Taiwan’s authorities shuttered some schools and canceled domestic flights as an intensifying Typhoon Krathon moves toward the island while bringing violent wind and rain to the Philippines.

The storm is expected to bring torrential rain this week to Taiwan’s southwest, including Kaohsiung, the island’s third-largest city.

A powerful typhoon was lashing the northernmost islands of the Philippines on Monday, prompting officials to evacuate villagers, shut down schools and inter-island ferries and warn of "potentially very destructive" damage to coastal villages.

Typhoon Krathon pounded a remote group of tiny Philippine islands near Taiwan on Monday, cutting power and communication services, the state weather service and officials said.