Residents boarded up windows, farmers hurriedly harvested vegetables and tourists vacated hotels in eastern Taiwan yesterday as the nation braced for its first typhoon this season. As of press time last night, all cities and counties in Taiwan except Kinmen and Lienchiang County had declared today a typhoon day, canceling both work and classes.
With sea and land warnings issued as well as alerts for high waves, heavy rainfall and sustained winds of up to 155kph, the Central Weather Bureau yesterday urged the public to prepare for the stormy weather to be caused by Typhoon Fanapi, a mid-strengh typhoon speeding up as it heads toward Taiwan.
As of 9:15pm yesterday, Fanapi was centered 250km east of Hualien, with gusts of up to 191kph, the bureau said. The typhoon was heading for Taiwan at 17kph and was projected to accelerate to 18kph within the next 24 hours.
Fanapi was expected to make landfall near Hualien at about noon before sweeping across all of Taiwan proper, bringing powerful winds and significant amounts of rain that could continue into tomorrow, forecasters said.
Places in northern and eastern parts of Taiwan yesterday had started to experience occasional showers caused by the storm’s peripheral circulation.
Officials said tourists vacated hotels in Hualien, while residents boarded up windows and piled sandbags at their doors.
PHOTO: PATRICK LIN, AFP
As a precaution, hundreds of people were evacuated yesterday afternoon in mountainous areas of Nantou, Chiayi and Hualien counties that are prone to landslides. Counties along the east coast, including Taitung, Yilan and Hualien, had also decided to cancel all classes from yesterday evening, while all other cities and counties except for Kinmen and Lienchiang county governments later declared today a typhoon day.
The authorities ordered fishing boats to return to their docks, and all domestic flights today have been canceled.
Those scheduled for international travel today are advised to check with airlines or transportation service operators to see if services are available.
PHOTO: NICKY LOH, REUTERS
The Taiwan Railway Administration last night canceled all train services until noon today, adding it would adjust its service schedule according to the latest typhoon developments.
The Taiwan High Speed Rail, meanwhile, suspended all services until 6pm and will make adjustments as the weather allows.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday led a video conference with local officials, urging them to take measures to prevent major damage from the typhoon.
The Ministry of National Defense also deployed armed personnel carriers in case of floods and other emergencies.
Typhoon Fanapi will test the preparedness of the Ma administration after the nation’s worst typhoon in five decades triggered mudslides that killed about 700 people in August last year. That disaster prompted a Cabinet reshuffle as citizens accused the government of reacting too slowly.
Meanwhile, authorities in Japan warned of heavy rain, strong winds and high waves for the southern Japanese Miyako island chain, with a number of flights canceled.
According to forecast Web site Tropical Storm Risk, Fanapi would reach southeast China tomorrow.
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