Typhoon Fanapi is strengthening as it nears Taiwan, and is expected to affect the country from tomorrow through Monday, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday.
The typhoon is packing maximum sustained winds of 139kph and is headed directly for Taiwan, the bureau said.
Fanapi, which grew from a tropical storm into a typhoon on Thursday night, was located about 700km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) on the southernmost tip of Taiwan at 2pm yesterday and was moving north-northwest at 8kph, the CWB said.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
Intermittent rain showers are likely to occur in the north, northeast and eastern areas of the country, and by tomorrow the entire island could expect strong winds and heavy rains that will continue into Monday, if the storm does not change direction, the CWB said.
Sea warnings were issued at 11:30pm last night and land warnings for the storm may be issued this morning, the CWB added.
In view of the approaching typhoon, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday cautioned the public to be aware and prepared. He said that all government agencies have been instructed to be more vigilant in their typhoon prevention work and “treat every typhoon as if it were Typhoon Morakot.”
Typhoon Morakot hit southern Taiwan in August last year, triggering flooding and mudslides that left more than 700 people dead or missing and thousands homeless.
The Ma government came under heavy public criticism in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot because of its efforts in the early stages of rescue and relief operations.
Meanwhile, a Spanish vessel that was heading for the northeastern port of Suao (蘇澳) in Yilan County decided yesterday not to take any chances as the storm approached.
The replica 17th-century Spanish galleon, the Andalucia, turned instead toward Keelung Port because there are no natural barriers at Suao Port to protect vessels against storms.
The galleon was scheduled to welcome visitors at Wushi Harbor from tomorrow to Wednesday, as part of efforts to promote cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Spain, but the plan will be postponed because of the typhoon, the Yilan County Government said yesterday.
Because of Typhoon Fanapi, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday also announced that it would postpone two campaign rallies — initially planned for today and tomorrow in Tainan and Kaohsiung respectively — to next Saturday and Sunday.
Taiwan’s Lee Chia-hao (李佳豪) on Sunday won a silver medal at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham, England, a career best. Lee, 25, took silver in the final of the men’s singles against world No. 1 Shi Yuqi (石宇奇) of China, who won 21-17, 21-19 in a tough match that lasted 51 minutes. After the match, the Taiwanese player, who ranks No. 22 in the world, said it felt unreal to be challenging an opponent of Shi’s caliber. “I had to be in peak form, and constantly switch my rhythm and tactics in order to score points effectively,” he said. Lee got
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