Super Typhoon Krathon – live: Taiwan puts 38,000 soldiers on standby as schools shut and flights cancelled
Taiwan president warns citizens to expect ‘catastrophic damage’
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Schools, restaurants, and shops shut down, tens of thousands of soldiers were on standby and dozens of flights were cancelled as Taiwan braced for Super Typhoon Krathon’s arrival on its western coast.
The typhoon, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 198 kmph and gusts up to 245 kmph, is located 236 kilometres south-southeast of Kaohsiung, where it is expected to make landfall tomorrow.
The storm’s large radius of 220 kilometres means its outer rim has already affected Pingtung, Taitung, and Kaohsiung, with torrential rain and strong winds battering the coastline.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued warnings for extremely heavy rain, with up to 350 mm expected in mountainous areas.
Schools and offices are closed in six cities and counties, and 85 domestic flights, along with international routes, including to Hong Kong, were cancelled. Ferry services to outlying islands have also been halted.
The storm earlier hit the northernmost islands of the Philippines, prompting evacuations, school closures, and warnings of “potentially very destructive” rainfall.
Typhoon Krathon tracker: Path and forecast
Typhoon Krathon is currently tracking west-northwest toward Taiwan after impacting the northern Philippines.
Krathon is classified as a "very strong" typhoon, with maximum sustained winds near the centre reaching 185 kmph and gusts of up to 260 kmph, according to the latest updates from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA).
Currently located approximately 430 kilometres southeast of Taiwan's southernmost point, Oluanpi, the typhoon is moving west-northwest at a slow speed of around 10 kmph.
Krathon is expected to continue moving westward before turning slightly northwest and making landfall near Kaohsiung, Taiwan, by late night tomorrow or early morning on Wednesday. Winds are expected to reach up to 185 kmph (115 mph) near the centre, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Following landfall, Krathon is forecast to move across southern Taiwan, bringing heavy rainfall, intense winds, and a high risk of flooding.
Typhoon Krathon set to make rare landfall on Taiwan's populated west coast
Typhoon Krathon, a powerful storm that has already lashed the northern Philippines, is now heading toward Taiwan, bringing the potential for destructive winds, torrential rains, and severe flooding.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has classified Krathon as a “very strong” typhoon with sustained winds of 95 knots (109 mph) and gusts of up to 135 knots (155 mph).
It is expected to strengthen further as it approaches Taiwan’s heavily populated western coast tomorrow.
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA) has issued land and sea warnings as the typhoon draws closer.
The storm is forecast to make landfall near Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s major southern port city, late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
“The impact is getting bigger and bigger,” said Gene Huang, forecaster at the CWA, pointing to threats to Taiwan’s southwest and adding it was “rare” for such a powerful typhoon to make a direct hit on the island’s western plains.
Typhoon Krathon lashes Philippines
Typhoon Krathon, locally known as Typhoon Julian, has battered the northernmost islands of the Philippines, prompting widespread evacuations and warnings of potential devastation to coastal communities.
The powerful storm, with sustained winds of up to 109 mph and gusts reaching 133 mph, was last located near Balintang Island, off the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes, according to the Philippine weather bureau PAGASA.
The slow-moving typhoon is expected to strengthen further, potentially reaching super typhoon status as it turns northeast towards Taiwan tomorrow.
Although no casualties or significant damage have been reported so far, officials remain on high alert as the storm poses a significant threat to lives and infrastructure.
Hundreds of villagers were evacuated, schools were shut down shut down schools and inter-island ferries were closed.
PAGASA has issued warnings of a “moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surges” along the coastal areas of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and Cagayan province.
“The situation is potentially very destructive to the community,” it said.
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