Super Typhoon Krathon – live: Two dead in Philippines as Taiwan braces for storm’s landfall
Taiwan president warns citizens to expect ‘catastrophic damage’
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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.
Over 500 people evacuated from Kaohsiung ahead of Typhoon Krathon
As Typhoon Krathon approaches Taiwan, 521 people have been evacuated from the mountainous regions of Kaohsiung today in anticipation of severe weather.
Local authorities issued landslide warnings for the districts of Taoyuan, Maolin, Namasia, and Liugui, prompting evacuations.
Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chi-mai inspected disaster preparedness measures, including flood control systems and the city’s 91 pumping stations, Taiwan News reported.
Kaohsiung is bracing for heavy rainfall, with estimates suggesting up to 800 mm in the mountainous areas.
Schools were moved online and 23,000 sandbags have been distributed across the city to help residents prepare for flooding.
Forecast animation shows path of Typhoon Krathon
A forecast animation from Zoom Earth, a privately-run weather tracker, shows Typhoon Krathon’s projected path as it heads toward southern Taiwan.
The animation shows the typhoon's intense wind gusts and possible landfall near Kaohsiung, with winds expected to exceed 200 kmph.
However, the storm's interaction with Taiwan's mountainous terrain could lead to unpredictable changes in its direction, making the exact landfall location difficult to forecast.
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