Taiwan shut down before Typhoon Krathon arrived, closing offices and schools, evacuating thousands of people and canceling flights and ferry services.
Krathon, with sustained winds of 173 km/h and gusts of up to 209 km/h (130 mph), is expected to hit the southwestern port city of Kaohsiung in the early hours of Thursday and has already brought torrential rain and heavy rain. winds.
The Central Meteorological Administration said it was located about 160 km (99 miles) southwest of Kaohsiung at 7 a.m. Wednesday (2300 GMT Tuesday).
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai asked the city’s 2.7 million residents to stay home unless necessary and avoid areas prone to flooding and landslides near rivers, of the sea and the mountains. Up to 80 cm (31 inches) of rain is forecast in surrounding mountainous areas.
Chen warned that Krathon would be “no less powerful” than Typhoon Thelma of 1977, which devastated the city, killing 37 people and injuring 298.
Typhoons rarely strike Taiwan’s densely populated west coast, usually striking the mountainous eastern part of the island facing the Pacific. In July, Typhoon Gaemi caused landslides and flooding, killing at least 11 people.
All cities and counties in Taiwan declared a day off on Wednesday. The Interior Ministry said nearly 10,000 people had been evacuated from risk areas as a precaution. Many domestic and international flights have been canceled.
Chou Yi-tang, a government official working in Siaogang district of Khaosiung, where the airport is located, said the typhoon brought back bad memories of Thelma to the older generation.
In his district, more than 700 sandbags have been distributed, which is document for a typhoon, while authorities are making more to meet demand, Chou said. Stormwater drains have also been cleared to reduce the risk of flooding.
“We were hit directly by the eyewall,” he said of the events that occurred nearly fifty years ago. “There was a power outage for two weeks and no water for almost a month. It was disastrous. »
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it had put nearly 40,000 troops on standby.
In Taiwan, 35 typhoon-related injuries were reported Tuesday evening, authorities said without providing details.
Typhoons are common in the Asia-Pacific region at this time of year.
However, a recent study showed that they are forming closer to shore, intensifying faster and lasting longer on land due to climate change.
Krathon had already wreaked havoc in the northern Philippines, killing at least one person, forcing around 5,000 people from their homes and causing widespread flooding.
