The calm before the storm: People walking in the rain with a backdrop of the rainbow in the sky in Taipei as Typhoon Krathon approaches Taiwan. — AP
Schools have been closed and thousands of people evacuated in the south of the island ahead of the arrival of Super Typhoon Krathon as President Lai Ching-te warned it could “inevitably cause catastrophic damage”.
Krathon, packing sustained winds of 198kph – equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane – and gusts of up to 245kph, was expected to make landfall today near the major port city of Kaohsiung.
Offices and schools were closed across southern and eastern Taiwan and the interior ministry said more than 7,700 people had been evacuated from vulnerable areas as a precaution.
“The path of Krathon is relatively rare, entering from the south and exiting from the east. Therefore we must be particularly vigilant,” President Lai said at a government briefing.
Nearly 40,000 troops were on standby for relief missions, the defence ministry said. Dozens of international and domestic flights have been cancelled, too.
In southern Kaohsiung where the typhoon was forecast to make landfall, residents filled sandbags and erected barriers around their homes for flood protection and taped windows.
Coast guard officers patrolling the nearby popular tourist beauty spot Sizihwan Bay told people to stay away as powerful waves pounded the coast.
Retiree Ou Rui-yao, who was birdwatching in the area, said he had made preparations at home such as putting up flood barriers.
“We need to be very careful as this typhoon must be very strong,” said Ou, 82. “Since the tide is high, we have put up water barriers. For the whole of Taiwan, we can’t underestimate this typhoon.”
The typhoon was around 230km south-southwest of Kaohsiung at 11am, the Central Weather Administration said.
The storm was approaching Taiwan after pounding a remote group of Philippine islands, where it cut power and communications and damaged “many” houses, according to the local mayor.
Typhoons are common around the region at this time of year.
However, a recent study showed that they are increasingly forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly and lasting longer over land due to climate change. — AFP
