TYPHOON Krathon made landfall in Taiwan’s port city of Kaohsiung on Thursday. It brought torrential rain and fierce gusts to the island’s south, causing trees to fall, roads to flood, and schools and businesses to close.
The storm struck after nine people were killed in a fire that blasted through a hospital in southern Pingtung County, and authorities claimed the extreme weather made rescue efforts “more difficult.”
According to Taipei’s Central Weather Administration, Krathon made ashore in Kaohsiung’s industrial Siaogang district at around 12:40 p.m. The typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 126 kph (78 mph) in its core, with gusts reaching 162 kph (101 mph).
The typhoon is expected to meander slowly north and decrease into a tropical depression before reaching Taipei on Friday. It appears to be traveling over the Taiwan Strait to the Chinese coast. On Thursday, the capital saw high winds but minimal rain.
The Kaohsiung officials had earlier encouraged locals to seek shelter from potentially deadly winds and rain, which tore down stores and inundated parking lots but resulted in no reported deaths.
The typhoon, which has been moving toward Taiwan at a speed of approximately 4 kph (2.5 mph), has flooded eastern and southern regions of the island during the last five days, forcing thousands to flee hilly or low-lying areas.
Two days of shutdown are thought to have severely impacted the high-tech industry, which depends significantly on overseas trade.
Gusts and torrential rains battered the empty streets of Kaohsiung, although life in Taipei, 350 km (217 m) to the north, was only mildly disturbed.
Many locals awoke Thursday to mobile phone notifications urging them to seek cover from potentially severe winds. The meteorological administration sent a Facebook message urging residents in Kaohsiung and Pingtung not to go outside when the storm’s eye passes overhead and the weather temporarily settles, since the winds and storms will resume.
Krathon-related weather events harmed at least 123 individuals across Taiwan, according to the fire department. At least two persons perished, one after colliding with fallen rocks on a road in southeastern Taitung County and the other while pruning tree branches in Hualien. Two others remained missing.
Thousands were evacuated from locations prone to mudslides and landslides. Almost 40,000 troops were on standby to assist in rescue operations.
Mountainous parts in the island’s south have received up to 169 millimeters (5.5 feet) of rain in the last five days.
FIRE STRIKES THE HOSPITAL
The tragic blaze in Pingtung County was reported around 7:40 a.m. The fire was put out shortly after 1 p.m., according to an online post by the island’s fire department.
Eight victims were confirmed dead after being transported away for treatment, while the ninth was discovered dead at the scene, the statement continued.
According to reports, 176 patients were hustled to the front entrance and loaded into ambulances or tarpaulins to protect them from the rain. They were relocated to shelters nearby.
The Pingtung County government stated that Krathon’s high winds and heavy rains made rescue attempts “more difficult.”
The county administration shared an image of a brilliant red and orange fireball surrounded by billowing smoke, with what looked to be a jet of water aiming at the fire.
Another image shows fire engines and firefighters in protective gear responding to the situation.
The local administration announced that an investigation into the cause of the fire had begun, and that firemen were still conducting search and rescue efforts.