Taiwan closed schools and offices and evacuated hundreds from vulnerable areas around the island Tuesday ahead of a strong typhoon expected to hit its densely populated western coast after lashing northern Philippine islands.

Southern Taiwan worked on Friday to clear up damage from flooding and high winds after Typhoon Krathon slammed into a major metropolis, while most of the rest of the island resumed work and financial markets re-opened.

Typhoon Krathon, packing maximum sustained winds of 78 mph with gusts of 101 mph,was forecast to weaken into a tropical depression before it reaches the capital, Taipei.