Krosa made landfall near the border of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces Sunday afternoon, packing winds of 126 kilometres (78 miles) per hour, Xinhua news agency said, quoting authorities in Zhejiang.

However, the typhoon weakened after landfall and was soon downgraded to a tropical storm, the agency said.

More than one million people were evacuated in the two provinces ahead of the storm, and authorities have shut airports in the region and ordered schools to close Monday as a precaution.

Krosa was moving north in the direction of the eastern metropolis of Shanghai, which is hosting the Special Olympics through Thursday.

Five people were killed, one other reported missing and dozens injured in Taiwan when the typhoon -- the biggest to hit the island this year -- swept in on Saturday, bringing heavy rains and winds of up to 162 kilometres per hour.

Krosa -- which means crane in the Khmer language -- caused power outages, unleashed mudslides, uprooted trees and sparked transport chaos across the island.

Although weaker since then, it still packed a punch in China.

Some areas of Fujian and Zhejiang reported 24-hour rain totals to Sunday morning exceeding 200 millimetres (eight inches), Xinhua reported.

Dozens of flights were grounded at airports in the region and motorists were ordered off of expressways, it said.

No deaths or injuries were reported as of Sunday evening.

Authorities took no chances as the storm bore down, recalling tens of thousands of boats to port.

Seaside tourist spots that had been bustling for the week-long National Day holiday were virtual ghost towns, with restaurants closed and visitors told to avoid coastal areas, state media reported.

Massive seas caused by the storm prevented Chinese maritime rescuers from reaching the 27-member crew of a Hong Kong-registered freighter stricken with mechanical trouble 28 kilometres off southern Zhejiang on Sunday, Xinhua said.

The crew of the "Aladdin Dream" included sailors from Russia, India and the Philippines.

Rescue authorities planned to dispatch helicopters once the high winds die down to aid the freighter, which had cast two anchors to ride out the storm, Xinhua said.

State forecasters said Krosa looked likely to move north along the coast, before possibly moving out to sea again by Monday, likely avoiding a direct hit on Shanghai, Xinhua said.

However, forecasters warned heavy rains and strong winds would whip the region.

The State Oceanic Administration also said navigation in the East China Sea would remain perilous for days due to waves and storm tides of nine metres (30 feet) or more.

Southeastern China is regularly pummelled during the summer-to-autumn typhoon season. Last month, more than two million people were evacuated in Zhejiang and Fujian ahead of powerful Typhoon Wipha, which eventually killed two in China.

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