Typhoon Nanmadol produced torrential rains and winds of over 100 kilometers per hour as it powered across southern and eastern Taiwan Monday, shutting down schools and businesses and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.

It was downgraded to a tropical storm later Monday as it lost strength and moved out to sea. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Authorities evacuated more than 6,000 people from the east and south of the island before the storm arrived.

Although the eye of the storm has passed over the island, forecasters predict continued heavy rain well into Tuesday, as the storm heads toward the east coast of China.

China's official Xinhua news agency says Nanmadol's arrival in eastern Fujian province is set to coincide with a high tide and could produce waves more than 3 meters high.

The slow-moving typhoon battered the northern Philippines Saturday and Sunday, killing at least 12 people and triggering floods and landslides that toppled walls and blocked roads. Authorities say the death toll may rise, as several people are still missing and are believed to have been swept away by flood waters. Many others were injured.

At least 50,000 people were forced to flee their homes.