Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall this Thursday in Taitung County, on the east coast of Taiwan, with wind gusts of more than 220 kilometers per hour (km/h), equivalent to a category 4 hurricane according to the Hurricane Scale. Saffir-Simpson, Taiwan’s Central Meteorological Agency (CWA) reported.
With an approximate radius of 320 kilometers, this storm is the largest to hit the island since Typhoon Herb, which between July and August 1996 left more than 800 dead during its passage through Taiwan, China and the Japanese Ryukyu archipelago.
The meteorological agency estimates that Kong-rey will continue its path through the center of the island and will reach the Taiwan Strait at night, already as a lower intensity typhoon.
Con olas de cinco metros, el tifón Kong-rey tocó tierra en el sureste de la isla, en #Taitung.
El #KongRey es uno de los tifones más fuertes que azota la isla en casi tres décadas.
Hay un muerto y 73 resultaron heridas tras el paso fel #SúperTifón #TyphoonKongRey pic.twitter.com/1KidaHTBqI
— 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙮 (@Mario_Moray) October 31, 2024
Thousands of evacuees
“Its impact throughout Taiwan will be quite severe,” warned Chu Mei-lin, a meteorologist at the national agency.
The authorities suspended classes and work this Thursday so that the population can take shelter. They also evacuated 8,600 people from vulnerable areas and put almost 35,000 soldiers on alert to help with relief efforts.
More than 400 domestic and international flights were canceled and all ferry services were suspended. In addition, some 18,000 homes were left without power, but most are recovering power, according to authorities.
Kong-rey is the third typhoon to hit Taiwan this year. In July, Gaemi killed ten people and injured hundreds.
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