Taiwan Faces Major Disruptions as Typhoon Kong-rey Strikes

Thursday 31 October 2024 - 14:34

Taipei, Taiwan,Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall on Taiwan's east coast on Thursday, marking the largest storm to impact the island in nearly three decades. The typhoon has prompted significant disruptions, including the closure of financial markets, the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and reduced rail services.

The storm initially struck Taitung County, known for its mountainous terrain and sparse population. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, nearly half a million households experienced power outages as strong winds and heavy rainfall swept across the island. Tragically, one fatality was reported when a truck collided with a fallen tree in central Taiwan.

Kong-rey had previously been classified as a super typhoon but weakened overnight to a status comparable to a Category 4 hurricane, with wind gusts exceeding 155 mph. The weather agency noted that this storm is the largest to hit Taiwan since 1996.

President Lai Ching-te urged citizens to cooperate in disaster prevention efforts, advising against hazardous activities such as wave watching during the typhoon. Gene Huang, a forecaster with the administration, indicated that after impacting the east coast, the storm is expected to move toward the Taiwan Strait as it continues to weaken. Residents were advised to remain indoors due to dangerous wind conditions.

Environmental officials are currently addressing concerns related to an oil leak from a Chinese cargo ship that ran aground on Taiwan's northern coast amid turbulent weather conditions. In Taitung, warnings were issued for destructive winds exceeding 100 mph, with Lanyu Island reporting gusts above 162 mph before some weather monitoring equipment failed.

Sinan Rapongan, a government official from Lanyu, described the night as terrifying for residents who were anxious about potential damage to their homes. Although some roofs sustained damage and over 1,300 homes lost power, no injuries have been reported thus far.

Since the approach of Kong-rey began on Wednesday, parts of eastern Taiwan have recorded up to 3.3 feet of rainfall. In preparation for possible rescue operations, Taiwan's defense ministry has placed 36,000 troops on standby and evacuated nearly 10,000 individuals from high-risk areas.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a key player in global chip production and supplier for major companies like Apple and Nvidia, stated that it activated standard typhoon preparedness measures across all its facilities but does not anticipate significant operational impacts.

The transport ministry reported that 314 international flights were canceled along with all domestic flights. While Taiwan's high-speed railway continues to operate, services have been significantly reduced.

As Kong-rey progresses toward China’s Fujian province by Friday morning, Shanghai is preparing for potentially severe rainfall, the worst in over four decades. Taiwan frequently experiences typhoons; just earlier this month, Typhoon Krathon resulted in four fatalities as it traversed southern regions of the island.