Typhoon Kong-rey was downgraded to a tropical storm this morning as it moved away from Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, while a man in Taipei who was struck by a utility pole was confirmed as the storm's second casualty.
At 9am, the eye of the storm was 140km northeast of Lienchiang County and moving east-northeast at 34kph to 46kph.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
It was packing maximum sustained winds of 90kph and gusts of 119kph, the CWA said.
After making landfall in Taitung at 1:40pm yesterday, the storm traveled quickly, with the center moving away from Yunlin County at about 6:40pm, the CWA said.
After being closed across Taiwan yesterday, schools and workplaces reopened again in all but a few districts today.
The Central Emergency Operation Center said that the storm had caused two deaths and injured 515 others as of this morning.
The second casualty was a 48-year-old man in Taipei's Neihu District (內湖), who was struck by a utility pole that was pulled down by a tree that fell on a power line.
The land warning issued by the CWA on Tuesday remains in effect in Lienchiang and the sea warning, issued on Wednesday, is still in place in the seas off northern Taiwan.
The CWA warned that high levels of precipitation are still expected.
An extremely heavy rain advisory has been issued in the mountainous areas of Miaoli County, Taichung, Nantou County, Chiayi County and Kaohsiung.
A heavy rain warning is in effect in Miaoli County, Taichung, Changhua County, Nantou County, Yunlin County, Chiayi City, Chiayi County, Tainan, Kaohsiung, mountainous areas of Pingtung County, Hualien County and Lienchiang, the CWA said.
An extremely heavy rain advisory means that rainfall totals are predicted to exceed 200mm in 24 hours or 100mm in three hours.
A heavy rain warning means accumulated rainfall in excess of 80mm in 24 hours or more than 40mm in an hour is expected.
The CWA said the public should remain alert to the possibility of landslides, mudslides and falling stones.
The agency added that strong winds are expected in coastal areas, northern and eastern Taiwan, and the outlying Penghu County.
Temperatures today are expected to be between 26°C and 28°C in the northern half of Taiwan and 28°C and 30°C in the southern and eastern parts of the country, the CWA said.
The CWA said temperatures are expected to fall to 24°C to 26°C around Taiwan at night.
The Ministry of Environment said the air quality would be mostly "fair" or "good."
However, an "orange" air quality alert has been issued for some parts of central and southern Taiwan, suggesting unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups including the elderly, children and people with cardiac or respiratory conditions.
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