TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Typhoon Podul moved into the Taiwan Strait near Tainan at 4 p.m. Wednesday, three hours after making landfall in Taitung, the Central Weather Administration said.

Even though the storm moved faster than predicted, areas south of Chiayi and Penghu should still prepare for torrential rain and strong winds for the rest of the day, the Liberty Times reported. The eye of the typhoon landed near Taimali in Taitung at 1 p.m. and spent only three hours crossing the country before reaching Qigu in Tainan.

Despite crossing a mountain range, Podul maintained its typhoon strength. The CWA estimated it would lift land and sea warnings in the early hours of Thursday, after the storm makes landfall in China not far from Kinmen.

At 4 p.m., the typhoon was heading west-northwest at 27 kilometers per hour, accelerating to 35 kph. Maximum sustained winds near the center reached 155 kph, with gusts of up to 191 kph, forecasters said.

Extremely heavy rain was likely in most of eastern and southern Taiwan until at least Thursday morning, with heavy rain expected in mountainous areas in the rest of the country, including Taipei and New Taipei.