Typhoon Krathon – live: Taiwan tells millions to seek shelter as slow-moving storm makes landfall
Hundreds of international flights disrupted for third day
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
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.
Taiwan’s president warns of 'catastrophic damage' from Typhon Krathon
Taiwan’s president warned that the storm could impose ‘catastrophic damage” on the island and warned “everyone must be particularly vigilant.”
“Typhoon Krathon has intensified into a strong typhoon with strong wind, heavy rain and high storm surge, and it is set to bring catastrophic damage,” Taiwan president Lai Ching-te said yesterday during a visit to the Central Emergency Operations Centre, which was set up over the weekend to coordinate response measures to the typhoon.
Photos: Taiwanese coastguard patrols Sizihwan Bay
Why slow-moving typhoons like Krathon can be more devastating
Typhoon Krathon's slow movement has raised concerns about its potential impact on Taiwan.
The storm was travelling at a speed of just 2-8 kmph, with its outer bands lashing Taiwan since Monday, and its landfall is now expected tomorrow morning.
Krathon is expected to continue impacting Taiwan until Friday now as it slowly moves over the island, eventually weakening, a day later than earlier expected.
While fast-moving typhoons cause significant damage, slow-moving storms often prove to be even more devastating.
Slow-moving typhoons tend to linger over an area for longer periods, leading to exceptional volumes of rainfall. In Krathon's case, regions like Pingtung and Taitung already accumulated 300 mm of rain, with totals potentially exceeding 600 mm in some areas by yesterday.
This extended rainfall dramatically increases the risk of flooding and landslides, particularly in mountainous regions, where the saturated soil becomes unstable.
The affected regions are also subjected to the storm's intense winds for a longer duration, increasing the likelihood of structural damage and power outages.
Photos: Waves crash on the coastline in Kaohsiung
One dead in Taiwan from Typhoon Krathon
One person has died in Taiwan amid extreme weather caused by Typhoon Krathon, the fire department has confirmed.
An elderly man in the eastern county of Hualien fell from a tree, the department said.
At least two others are missing and 70 injuries have been reported so far.
Krathon has been lashing the island with heavy rain and wind gusts since Monday.
Nearly 10,000 evacuated in Taiwan ahead of Typhoon Krothan
Nearly 10,000 people have been evacuated from vulnerable areas across Taiwan, particularly in regions prone to flooding and landslides.
Most of the evacuations are concentrated in southern Taiwan, including cities like Kaohsiung and Pingtung, where the storm is expected to make landfall early morning tomorrow.
Taiwan's interior ministry has coordinated the evacuations, while local governments have been distributing sandbags and mobilising emergency services.
Taiwan has shut down schools, offices, and its financial markets. Flights and ferry services have been widely cancelled as the storm brings torrential rain and strong winds, with authorities urging the public to remain vigilant and stay indoors.
Typhoon Krathon in process of weakening, Taiwanese forecaster says
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has forecast that Typhoon Krathon is gradually weakening as it nears Taiwan's southwest coast.
The storm is expected to make landfall tomorrow morning, either as a weak typhoon or potentially downgraded to a tropical storm, CWA said.
It will further weaken as it passes over Taiwan, possibly "dissolving" into a tropical depression, the CWA said, while cautioning that the storm could still bring heavy rains for an extended period of time.
Typhoon Krathon was located 130 kilometres southwest of Kaohsiung, moving north-northeast at 8 kilometres per hour at 1.15pm local time (5.15am GMT).
Photos: Rain drenches Kaohsiung overnight
Mapped: Typhoon Krathon path
Typhoon Krathon continues its slow approach toward Taiwan. The map from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) shows the storm’s path and projected wind intensities.
Krathon is expected to make landfall near Kaohsiung tomorrow early morning.
The forecast places Krathon’s maximum sustained wind speeds at 100 knots (185 kmph) near landfall, with the outer bands already affecting southern Taiwan.
Wind speeds of up to 90 knots (167 kmph) are expected as the storm progresses inland, affecting areas as far north as Tainan and Taichung. The storm’s effects will also be felt across Taipei as it moves northward after landfall.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments