BEIJING, China – Typhoon Haikui slammed across towns and farmland in southern Taiwan on Sunday, bringing most of the country to a halt. Flights, train travel, ferry services, classes, and outdoor events were all canceled, but no injuries or major damage were reported.
Around 3 p.m. (0700 GMT), the storm made landfall in Taitung county on Taiwan’s Pacific-facing east coast, bringing sustained winds of 155 kph (96 mph) and gusts of 190 kph (120 mph).
Winds and heavy rains pushed open unprotected doors, toppled trees, one of which crushed a parked minivan, and caused flooding in some low-lying neighborhoods.
According to the Interior Ministry, about 4,000 people had been evacuated from mountain settlements at high risk of landslides and flooding by Sunday evening. Families carried sleeping mats and other requirements to school gymnasiums and public meeting halls, where they were fed and watered.
About 75,000 households in Taitung and Hualien counties along the east coast lost power temporarily, and a guesthouse on Green Island close off the shore collapsed, but no injuries were recorded.
There looked to be minimal major damage, and several stores remained open, partly due to the need to dispose of locally grown fruits and vegetables that would otherwise go to waste.
Typhoon Haikui slammed across towns and farmland in southern Taiwan on Sunday.
A hot air balloon festival in the central Taichung region, many outdoor concerts, art events, and a baseball game were canceled in Taiwan. National parks and dangerous highways in the island’s mountainous center were also blocked.
After crossing Taiwan, Haikui is projected to continue into China, and authorities in the Chinese city of Shantou in Guangdong province warned inhabitants to take care.
Typhoon Saola weakened as it swirled over the Chinese coast, where 900,000 people and 80,000 fishing vessels had been evacuated. Most Hong Kong and coastal mainland areas had ceased business, transport and education.
However, the damage proved minor, and most limitations had been lifted by Sunday. The Hong Kong Observatory canceled all warnings on Saturday night.
Because of Typhoon Saola, several Chinese cities were closed, and the start of the school year was pushed back from Friday to Monday. After around 460 flights were canceled in the vital regional business and travel hub, trading on Hong Kong’s stock exchange was suspended, and hundreds of people were stuck at the airport.
Typhoon Haikui slammed across towns and farmland in southern Taiwan on Sunday.
At one time, the cross-border bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macao’s gaming hub, and Zhuhai’s manufacturing center was closed. Macao leader Ho Iat Seng ordered a halt to casino activities.
China has recently seen some of the worst rains and deadliest flooding in years. Dozens of people have been murdered, including on the capital’s mountainous outskirts.
Despite the twin storms, China’s military continued to execute operations aimed at intimidating Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing intends to subjugate by force if necessary.
Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said it watched Chinese military aircraft and navy ships flying close to the island. However, it stated that there were no indications that any had passed the Taiwan Strait’s middle line or entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, as they usually do.
SOURCE – (AP)
