Typhoon Aere battered northern Taiwan today, triggering a mudslide that buried a family of four as the storm’s eye churned toward China, forcing nearly 250,000 people to flee coastal areas and killing at least 12 people.

RESCUERS are battling against Taiwan’s worst floods in 25 years, which have killed at least 19 people and stranded 10,000 villagers without fresh water and electricity in mountainous areas, officials said.