TAIPEI: Taiwan had evacuated more than 6,000 villagers by yesterday as Typhoon Parma lingered in seas near the island, bringing heavy rains and causing landslides, a rescue official said.

The evacuations were concentrated in south Taiwan, which saw the heaviest losses from Typhoon Morakot in August, as fears mounted that the downpours could cause mountainsides to collapse.

"The evacuees have been relocated in shelters arranged by township offices," said Andrew Cheng, a Taipei-based official with the island's disaster prevention and protection commission.