Tropical storm Aere has lashed the north-eastern Philippines, killing at least nine people and forcing more than 100,000 villagers to flee from farming towns threatened by landslides.

A swollen creek swept a villager away as Typhoon Aere crashed into mainland China, unleashing torrential rains and prompting the evacuation of a half-million people.

Typhoon Aere whipped northern Taiwan with gusty winds and heavy rain today, while China began evacuating 249,000 people from coastal areas as it braced for the storm that has killed at least seven people.