Typhoon Krathon – live: Taiwan tells millions to seek shelter as slow-moving storm makes landfall
Hundreds of international flights disrupted for third day
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Residents in Taiwan were told to seek shelter as Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taiwan, with the island fully shut for the second day.
Krathon, a slow moving storm which has been lashing Taiwan since Monday, slammed into the major port city Kaohsiung as a much weaker Category 1 typhoon around midday.
Early this morning residents in the city of some 2.7 million people received texted warnings telling them to seek shelter from gusts of more than 160 kmph (100 mph).
At least two people have died in Taiwan from extreme weather caused by Krathon, both elderly men.
Earlier, two people were killed in the Philippines when the storm lashed the northern islands of the archipelago.
All domestic flights were cancelled for a second day, as well as 236 international ones. The north-south high speed rail line suspended services and Taiwan’s financial markets also closed for a second day.
The typhoon is forecast to slowly work its way up Taiwan’s flat western plain and weaken further into a tropical depression by late Friday before reaching the capital Taipei.
Krathon becomes first typhoon in almost three decades to make landfall in southwestern Taiwan
Photos: Trees blown down, houses damaged as Typhoon Krathon makes landfall
Why Typhoon Krathon's landfall was 'weird'
Typhoon Krathon's landfall has been labelled "weird" by Taiwanese media as the storm brought the island to a halt.
Typhoons often hit Taiwan's east coast facing the Pacific, but Krathon is unusual in that it directly hit the populated west coast.
The storm also hovered along the coast for an unusually long period, lashing the island with rainfall and wind gusts since Monday.
Despite intensifying dramatically on its approach to Taiwan, the storm eventually made landfall at midday today as a weaker typhoon with windspeeds equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane.
Typhoon Krathon makes landfall with Taiwan brought to standstill
Typhoon Krathon has made landfall in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung city at around midday local time, arriving as a weaker Category 1 typhoon.
The slow-moving Typhoon has been lashing Taiwan since Monday with its outer bands causing heavy rains and wind gusts.
The storm earlier intensified to an equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane but then lost some of its strength before landfall.
Despite its weakened state, the storm has caused significant disruption across Taiwan, forcing the country to remain shut down for a second day.
So far, two people have died, and hundreds of flights have been grounded. Financial markets also remain closed.
The Taiwanese government urged residents to remain indoors due to torrential rain, strong winds, and the threat of storm surges.
Millions warned to take shelter
This morning, residents in Kaohsiung, a city of some 2.7 million people, received texted warnings telling them to seek shelter from gusts of more than 160 kmph (100 mph).
"It's so windy now that I do not dare to go out and inspect my neighbourhood," Lin Tsai-wang, a resident of the downtown Sanmin district, told Reuters.
Typhoons often hit Taiwan's east coast facing the Pacific, but Krathon is unusual in that it will directly hit the west coast.
The Kaohsiung government has been particularly cautious in its preparations given that the last time it was struck by such a storm in 1977, Typhoon Thelma killed 37 people and devastated the city.
When is Typhoon Krathon making landfall in Taiwan?
Krathon is forecast to make landfall as a much weaker Category 2 typhoon around midday at the major southwestern port city of Kaohsiung.
It is now slightly weakened but still a powerful Category 3-equivalent storm with sustained wind speeds of 173kmph and gusts of up to 209kmph.
The typhoon is forecast to slowly work its way up Taiwan’s flat western plain and weaken further into a tropical depression by late Friday before reaching the capital Taipei.
Hundreds of international flights disrupted for third day
This is the third day of travel disruptions in Taiwan as Typhoon Krathon brought the city to a full closure again.
Since Tuesday, flights have been getting delayed and cancelled and Taiwan has been on a full shut down since yesterday.
Today again, all domestic flights were cancelled as well as 236 international ones.
The north-south high speed rail line suspended services from central to southern Taiwan until early evening.
Taiwan's financial markets also closed for a second day.
Two dead in Taiwan
The death toll from extreme weather caused by Typhoon Krathon is now at two, officials confirmed.
Another elderly man lost his life after a boulder fell on his car.
Earlier, a 70 year old man died after falling from a tree.
The storm has already killed two people in the Philippines.
Taiwan shuts down for another day as Typhoon Krathon nears
Taiwan remains shut for a second day as Typhoon Krathon continues to batter the island before its landfall.
Schools, offices and financial institution were shut across the island yesterday and remain shut today.
This is the second time in a year when Taiwan has had to shut its financial market for two days.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall around noon.
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