Typhoon Kraton is expected to “infrequently” make landfall in densely populated areas in southwestern Taiwan, prompting school closures, flight cancellations and evacuations.
On Tuesday, the storm intensified into a super typhoon, equivalent to a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 198 km/h and gusts exceeding 245 km/h.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA) said its strength had weakened somewhat on Wednesday, but it remained a powerful Category 3 storm, with sustained winds of 185 km/h and gusts of up to 240 km/h. It is said that he did.
Follow our live coverage about Typhoon Kraton.
The northward march was slowed to just 8 kilometers per hour, and the craton was about 130 kilometers south-southwest of Kaohsiung. The storm remains near the island, and its band is already bringing rain and gusty winds to southern Taiwan.
The CWA said the storm could further weaken and “melt” into a tropical cyclone as it passes over Taiwan, but warned that the storm could still bring heavy rain for an extended period.
The storm is expected to make landfall near Kaohsiung or Tainan on Thursday, then move northeast toward Taipei over the next day or so.
At least three people have died due to the abnormal weather caused by Typhoon Clayton. Taiwan’s fire department said an elderly man fell from a tree in Hualien City on Wednesday, marking the first typhoon-related death. A craton phenomenon has brought heavy rains to the northern Philippines, killing two people so far. Dozens of people were also injured.
The island was shut down Wednesday in preparation for the storm, with hundreds of flights canceled and offices, schools and financial markets closed.
Taiwan’s CWA has extended its storm warning to more areas.
The mountainous areas of Taoyuan, Maolin, Namashi and Liugui in Kaohsiung City are on high alert due to the risk of landslides, and preventive evacuations are in place. At least 521 people have already been evacuated from these areas.
“that [Krathon] It will cause catastrophic damage,” Taiwanese President Lai Ching-de said.
Since Tuesday, hundreds of international flights have been canceled across Taiwan, and all domestic flights have also been suspended.
Nearly 10,000 people have been evacuated from vulnerable areas across Taiwan, particularly areas prone to flooding and landslides.
Most of the evacuees are concentrated in southern Taiwan, including cities such as Kaohsiung and Pingtung, where the storm is expected to make landfall early tomorrow..
On Monday, the storm battered the northern Philippines with heavy rain and strong winds, potentially causing landslides.
In the northern Philippines, the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes are affected by Typhoon Craton’s outer band, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region.
Local authorities have issued a high-level warning for storm surge and flooding, and some coastal and island areas have already begun evacuations. Ferry operations were also suspended.
Experts warned that if the typhoon makes contact with Taiwan’s central mountain range, its path could become unstable, causing sudden changes in direction or loops.
Forecasters predicted the craton’s impact would be strongest from Tuesday to Thursday, with southern and eastern Taiwan facing the heaviest rain and winds.
Taiwan’s high mountains may dampen the storm’s strength slightly, but residents are warned to prepare for strong winds exceeding 200km/h, extreme rainfall and the risk of landslides and flooding.
Coastal and low-lying areas become especially vulnerable to storm surges and flooding as storms intensify.
Up to 800 millimeters of rainfall is expected in some areas of the city, especially in the mountainous areas. Additional heavy rain warnings have been issued for areas in eastern Taiwan, including Hualien and Taitung, with some areas fearing more than 200mm of rain could fall within 24 hours.
Kaohsiung City Water Resources Bureau said the city’s flood control system is fully operational, with 91 pumping stations, 112 mobile pump units and 25 regulating ponds ready to handle the expected heavy rains. . The flood storage capacity of the city’s Jinshi Lake has also been increased.
About 40,000 military personnel were mobilized to assist with evacuations on Monday, moving individuals and vehicles from danger zones.
