Super Typhoon Krathon – live: Two dead and thousands evacuated as powerful storm inches closer to Taiwan
Taiwan president warns citizens to expect ‘catastrophic damage’
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
At least two people have died in the Philippines after devastation caused by Typhoon Krathon as the storm now inches closer to Taiwan ahead of landfall.
The island has been bracing for impacts with hundreds of flights cancelled and offices, schools and financial markets closed.
Krathon, now slightly weakened but still a powerful Category 3-equivalent storm, with sustained wind speeds of 185kmph and gusts of up to 240kmph, is expected to strike the southwestern port city of Kaohsiung.
With its northwards march slowed to just 2kmph, Krathon has been lingering, but its bands are already causing rainfall and wind gusts in southern Taiwan.
Rainfall in southern regions, particularly Kaohsiung and Tainan, is forecast to be extreme, with some areas bracing for up to 800mm of rain.
“It [Krathon] is set to bring catastrophic damage,” Taiwan president Lai Ching-te said.
Typhoons rarely strike Taiwan’s densely populated west coast, usually hitting the mountainous, eastern side of the island facing the Pacific.
Typhoon Krathon weakens slightly but remains 'very strong' ahead of landfall
Typhoon Krathon has weakened slightly but continues to be a "very strong" typhoon, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The storm is currently located 130 kilometres south-southwest of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
It is packing maximum sustained winds of 180 kmph, with gusts reaching 252 kmph. Krathon remains classified as a "very strong" typhoon and continues its slow movement north-northeast as it approaches Taiwan.
Typhoon Krathon leaves two dead and over 77,000 afftected in the Philippines
At least two people are confirmed dead and over 77,000 people were affected in the Philippines after Typhoon Krathon caused significant devastation in the northern part of the archipelago.
One person was electrocuted in Cagayan province, and another fatality was reported in Ilocos Sur, according to Xinhua news agency.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council confirmed that Krathon, which intensified into a super typhoon earlier this week, brought winds of 195 kmph and gusts reaching 240 kmph.
The storm's impact has left widespread damage across three regions as it continues to slowly moves north-northwestward towards Taiwan's highly populated industrial hub, maintaining its strength.
Typhoon Krathon still inching towards Taiwan
Typhoon Krathon is still making its way towards Taiwan, forecast to hit between Kaohsiung and its neighbouring city of Tainan in the early hours of Thursday, then work its way up the west coast towards the capital Taipei, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
All cities and counties in Taiwan declared a day off on Wednesday, shutting financial markets. Domestic flights have been cancelled for the day, along with 246 international ones.
The north-south high speed rail line remained open, but with a reduced number of operations.
The typhoon has weakened, but the threat from a storm surge and strong winds and rain remains as it slowly makes its way towards Taiwan’s coast, the weather administration said.
Mapped: Typhoon Krathon location and forecast
Mapped: Typhoon Krathon heads to Taiwan after lashing Philippines
Meteorologists warn it is ‘rare’ for such a powerful typhoon to make a direct hit on Taiwan’s western plains
Why is Typhoon Krathon's landfall rare?
Typhoon Krathon is set to make an unprecedented landfall on Taiwan’s heavily populated west coast near Kaohsiung, bringing weather disruptions to the region’s industrial and semiconductor sectors.
“Normally, typhoons in the western Pacific (especially in a place like Taiwan) track from east to west across this area,” Jon Davis, Chief meteorologist at Everstream Analytics, said.
This is why Taiwan has a heavy concentration of people and businesses on the West Coast of the Island while very few people live on the East Coast of Taiwan – the area of normally higher risk.
Typhoon Krathon is going to take a track and make landfall on the West Coast of Taiwan near Kaohsiung based on the latest data.” Krathon’s west coast track is rare, with no major typhoon (Category 3 or higher) making landfall near Kaohsiung in the past 34 years, Mr Davis said.
“This will be an unprecedented event for the southwest portion of Taiwan,” he wrote in a statement.
What is storm surge?
A storm surge is an abnormal rise in sea level during a storm, caused by strong winds and low pressure pushing seawater onto the land.
It’s one of the most dangerous aspects of tropical cyclones, including hurricanes and typhoons, often leading to severe flooding in coastal areas.
In the case of Typhoon Krathon, authorities in Taiwan are particularly concerned about storm surges as the storm's strong winds and heavy rains push large volumes of seawater inland, potentially flooding vulnerable coastal regions.
With waves expected to reach up to 8 metres, coastal defences are being put in place to mitigate the risk of serious flooding.
Typhoon Krathon disrupts flights in Hong Kong and Taiwan
Super Typhoon Krathon is causing travel disruption in Taiwan and Hong Kong as it nears landfall.More than 94 flights have been cancelled across Taiwan, according to Taiwan News.
HK Express said it would cancel 12 flights travelling between Hong Kong and Taichung, Taipei and Kaohsiung on Wednesday and Thursday, SCMP reported.
The storm is set to hit Taiwan’s southern port city of Kaohsiung tomorrow morning local time.
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 is traveling at a speed of just 4-5 kmph, with its outer bands lashing Taiwan since yesterday. Krathon is expected to make landfall in the morning and then continue impacting Taiwan through until Thursday as it slowly moves over the island, eventually weakening.
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 have already accumulated 300 mm of rain, with totals potentially exceeding 600 mm in some areas. 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.
Mapped: Typhoon Krathon location and forecast
Typhoon Krathon has maintained its fierce intensity while moving slowly across the South China Sea.
The storm's centre was located at 208 kilometres south-southeast of Kaohsiung this afternoon local time, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Krathon's maximum sustained winds near the centre have intensified to 198 kmph, with gusts reaching 270 kmph, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane.
Taiwan expands warnings as Typhoon Krathon intensifies
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded its weather warnings to include several more regions after Krathon intensified into a super typhoon earlier.
The warning now also includes Penghu, Yunlin, and Hualien. Some parts of Taiwan have already accumulated up to 300mm of rainfall.
The slow moving storm is expected to bring extreme weather throughout much of Taiwan's main island from today through Thursday.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments