The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow.
The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島).
As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving northwest at 6kph, CWA senior weather forecaster Wu Wan-hua (吳婉華) said.
Photo: Johnson Lai, AP
The maximum wind speed near the typhoon’s center topped 162km, with its radius reaching 200km, CWA data showed.
“Based on its projected path of movement, it could turn into a strong typhoon or even a super typhoon if the atmospheric environment facilitates that development,” Wu said.
Krathon’s intensity and structure would remain intact before it begins to affect the nation, and it would not start moving north until this afternoon, she said.
“However, the typhoon is not likely to move very fast after it makes landfall in southern Taiwan. It is expected to move northeasterly before departing from Taiwan and to influence the country until Thursday,” she said.
As the typhoon approaches, chances for extremely heavy rainfall are high today and tomorrow in Hualien and Taitung counties, the Hengchun Peninsula, as well as in mountainous areas in central, southern and northeastern Taiwan, she said.
CWA had detected a 7m high tide near Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), she added.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
The agency’s forecast showed tides around Taiwan could reach 2m to 4m today, while tides in Hualien, Taitung and the Hengchun Peninsula could exceed 6m.
People in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Chiayi counties should expect saltwater intrusion and other negative impacts, the agency said.
Heavy rainfall is forecast in Hualien, Taitung and Hengchun Peninsula today, with the wind and rain getting stronger in southern Taiwan at night, it said.
Tomorrow, rain would persist in Hualien and Taitung, and stronger rain and winds would also batter northern Taiwan, it said.
Although the typhoon is expected to move away from Taiwan on Thursday, the chances of extremely heavy rain are high in northern Taiwan, while the rain is expected to ease in Hualien, Taitung and southern Taiwan, it said.
Winds in coastal areas remain strong. About 15,000 military personnel are ready to participate in rescue operations and disaster relief work.
The air force said it has canceled its drills tomorrow and on Thursday.
Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Taitung, Pingtung, Hualien and Chiayi counties announced that school and work would be canceled today.
Work and school continue as usual today in the rest of the nation.
Taiwan Railway Corp has also adjusted operations of eastbound trains via North Link and South Link lines. The Alishan Forest Railway would be closed tomorrow and on Thursday.
As of 10am yesterday, 22 domestic flights had been canceled, as well as ferry services connecting Taiwan proper and outlying islands.
TYPHOON: The storm’s path indicates a high possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, the CWA said Typhoon Krathon is strengthening and is more likely to make landfall in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said in a forecast released yesterday afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the CWA’s updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was about 430km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point. It was moving in west-northwest at 9kph, with maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts of up to 155kph, CWA data showed. Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north tomorrow, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said. The CWA’s latest forecast and other countries’ projections of the storm’s path indicate a higher
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
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