Typhoon Krathon heads towards Taiwan’s populated west coast
Typhoon forecast to hit port city of Kaohsiung then work its way across centre of country
30 September 2024 - 16:49
byYimou Lee and Ben Blanchard
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
People buy food at a supermarket ahead of Typhoon Krathon which is expected to intensify and make an unusual landfall on Taiwan's densely populated west coast in the early hours of Wednesday in Taipei, on September 30, 2024. Picture: ANN WONG/REUTERS
Taipei — Taiwan issued a land warning on Monday ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Krathon, which has strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane and is expected to cross the densely populated west coast bringing torrential rain and strong wind.
Taiwan regularly gets hit by typhoons but they generally land along the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.
Krathon is forecast to hit the major port city of Kaohsiung late on Wednesday morning, then work its way across the centre of Taiwan heading northeast and cross out into the East China Sea, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
The typhoon has strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, packing powerful winds of more than 210kph near its centre, according to Tropical Storm Risk.
“The impact is getting bigger and bigger,” said Gene Huang, forecaster at the CWA, pointing to threats to Taiwan's southwest and adding it was “rare” for such a powerful typhoon to make a direct hit to the island’s western plains.
“It’s a first in history for a typhoon with such movement and intensity,” Huang said.
Huang warned residents there to be prepared for extreme winds of more than 150kph.
Taiwan authorities said more than 1,000 rubber boats and 15,000 soldiers were on standby across Taiwan, including on the eastern coast where up to 1.3m of rain was expected in the coming days.
“All military hospitals have set up emergency medical teams and they are ready to support any time,” said defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang.
Boats to Taiwan’s outlying islands have already been cancelled and some domestic flights have been disrupted.
The rail line connecting southern Taiwan to the east coast stopped running midafternoon on Monday, though other services including the north-south high speed railway were operating as normal, the transport ministry said.
It added that international flights were not yet affected.
In July, Typhoon Gaemi killed at least 11 people in Taiwan.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Typhoon Krathon heads towards Taiwan’s populated west coast
Typhoon forecast to hit port city of Kaohsiung then work its way across centre of country
Taipei — Taiwan issued a land warning on Monday ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Krathon, which has strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane and is expected to cross the densely populated west coast bringing torrential rain and strong wind.
Taiwan regularly gets hit by typhoons but they generally land along the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast facing the Pacific.
Krathon is forecast to hit the major port city of Kaohsiung late on Wednesday morning, then work its way across the centre of Taiwan heading northeast and cross out into the East China Sea, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
The typhoon has strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, packing powerful winds of more than 210kph near its centre, according to Tropical Storm Risk.
“The impact is getting bigger and bigger,” said Gene Huang, forecaster at the CWA, pointing to threats to Taiwan's southwest and adding it was “rare” for such a powerful typhoon to make a direct hit to the island’s western plains.
“It’s a first in history for a typhoon with such movement and intensity,” Huang said.
Huang warned residents there to be prepared for extreme winds of more than 150kph.
Taiwan authorities said more than 1,000 rubber boats and 15,000 soldiers were on standby across Taiwan, including on the eastern coast where up to 1.3m of rain was expected in the coming days.
“All military hospitals have set up emergency medical teams and they are ready to support any time,” said defence ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang.
Boats to Taiwan’s outlying islands have already been cancelled and some domestic flights have been disrupted.
The rail line connecting southern Taiwan to the east coast stopped running midafternoon on Monday, though other services including the north-south high speed railway were operating as normal, the transport ministry said.
It added that international flights were not yet affected.
In July, Typhoon Gaemi killed at least 11 people in Taiwan.
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.