Two tropical cyclones have made landfall in eastern China, dumping heavy rain on coastal areas as the Philippines and Taiwan assessed the damage that one of the storms had left in its wake.

Tropical Storm Saola plowed into the Chinese province of Fujian on Friday morning, after the torrential rain and heavy wind it brought to parts of the Philippines and Taiwan had left more than 40 people dead.

Saola's winds were at typhoon strength when it hit Taiwan on Thursday morning, similar to the power of a Category 2 hurricane in the Atlantic.