Credits: Reuters
Typhoon Gaemi, the most powerful storm to hit Taiwan in eight years, ravaged the northern part of the island on Thursday, claiming three lives, injuring hundreds, and causing widespread flooding. The storm also resulted in power outages affecting half a million households.
The typhoon brought torrential rain, fierce winds, and a dangerous storm surge, making landfall in Yilan County with sustained winds of up to 205 kph, equivalent to a Category 3 major hurricane in the Atlantic.
Gaemi is expected to cross the Taiwan Strait on Thursday and hit China’s Fujian province, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to an area already grappling with severe weather and flooding.
In the southern city of Kaohsiung, a cargo ship sank when Gaemi struck Taiwan, prompting a search for its nine crew members.
Taiwan’s weather bureau chief Cheng Jia-ping stated, “We expect that the impact of the typhoon will be extended to four days until Friday.” The Central Meteorological Agency issued a typhoon warning for the entire island, and President Lai Ching-te advised residents to avoid travel as much as possible.
Reports indicate that nearly 8,000 people have been temporarily relocated across the island. Li Li-chuan, a 55-year-old resident of Suao, witnessed the roof of her restaurant blow off. “I was frightened,” she told Reuters. “It was the strongest in years. I was worried that the roof would hit other people.”
The typhoon also forced the military to modify the annual Han Kuang War Games, Taiwan’s largest military exercises, which are crucial for the island’s defense preparedness against potential threats from mainland China.