KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Typhoon Krathon made landfall in the major port city of Kaohsiung on Thursday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the south and southeast. TaiwanAccording to weather officials.
The Krathon landslide occurred in Kaohsiung’s industrial Siaogang district at 12:40 p.m., the Central Meteorological Administration said. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 126 kph (78 mph) near its center, with gusts of 162 kph (101 mph).
The typhoon is forecast to slowly move north and weaken to a tropical depression by Friday before reaching the capital Taipei.
Kaohsiung earlier urged its residents to protect themselves from the devastating winds.
The A slow moving tornadoMoving toward Taiwan at about 4 km (2.5 mph), it has pummeled the eastern and southern parts of the island for the past five days, forcing thousands of people to flee mountainous or low-lying areas. Schools and government offices have been closed around the island for two days, and all domestic flights have been cancelled.
Tornadoes and torrential downpours lashed the empty streets.
Many residents woke up Thursday, urging mobile phone warnings to take shelter from dangerous winds. As the eye of the storm passes over their area and the weather calms down for a while, the weather service warned residents of Kaohsiung and Pingdong counties not to go outside, as the winds and storms will pick up again later.
A woman battles the wind and rain created by Typhoon Krathon in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Xiang Ying-ying)
At least 123 people were injured around the island due to weather-related events caused by the craton, according to Taiwan’s fire department. Two people died – one after driving over rocks that fell on the road in southeastern Taitung County, and the other while cutting tree branches in Hualien City. Two more are missing.
A hospital fire in Pingdong County At least eight people were killed early Thursday morning. The deaths were attributed to smoke and an investigation into the cause is underway. It was not immediately clear if the fire was related to the tornado.
Thousands were evacuated from areas prone to mudslides and landslides. 40,000 soldiers are ready for rescue operations.
Up to 169 centimeters (5.5 feet) of rain fell in the last five days in mountainous areas in the south of the island.
Some eastern and southern parts of Taiwan are expected to receive up to 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) of heavy rain in the next 24 hours, the China Meteorological Agency said.
Typhoons rarely hit Taiwan’s west coast, instead affecting the mountainous, eastern part of the island.
Kaohsiung officials urged residents to be weather-aware, recalling the devastation brought by Typhoon Thelma, which devastated the city in 1977 and left 37 dead.
Earlier in the week, Typhoon Craton hit the northern Philippine IslandsFour people were killed and at least 5,000 displaced, officials said.
