Page 2 - Typhoon

China braces for heavy rains as Podul makes landfall in southern provinces

China braced Thursday for heavy rains as Tropical Storm Podul made landfall in several southern provinces and thousands of people were evacuated. Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces were the focus of the preparation efforts, but alarms were at a relatively low level given the storm's loss of strength as it passed over Taiwan on Wednesday. About 15,000 people had been evacuated from seaside areas in southern China as of Wednesday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Podul made landfall shortly after midnight on Thursday in Fujian classified as a tropical storm downgraded from a typhoon and it has also triggered alarms in inland Hunan province, which is home to several lakes and rivers that often overflow. In Guangdong's Chaozhou city, classes and some government functions were suspended, while court proceedings were suspended in Hong Kong after it raised its highest rainstorm warning. The Hong Kong Observatory said the storm was moving away from the partially autono

Typhoon Podul closes Taiwan schools, offices as heavy rains expected

Typhoon Podul prompted schools and government offices to close in Taiwan on Wednesday, with authorities on the lookout for heavy rains that could bring more damage to agriculture in the region. It was unclear how serious the storm would be, with high waves and winds over much of the east coast but no major rain as of yet. On Wednesday morning, Podul was southeast of the island, moving at 155 kilometres per hour, and was expected to make landfall later in the day before moving swiftly across the island's southern tip, according to the Central Meteorological Agency. Such storms typically hit the east coast hard before losing strength as they pass over the Central Mountain Range before continuing toward the Chinese coast. Podul's skirt measured 120 kilometres across and was expected to broaden even while losing strength as the storm moved westward across the Taiwan Strait. The areas affected are well south of the capital, Taipei, along with Taiwan's main international airport and ...

Typhoon Wipha causes major flight disruptions in Hong Kong, southern China

Airports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macao canceled or postponed all their daytime flights, their websites showed

Typhoon Danas crosses Taiwan, killing 2, injuring over 300

Typhoon Danas brought heavy winds and torrential rains to parts of Taiwan early Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 300 on the island's densely populated west coast. The typhoon lost intensity and was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved into the Taiwan Strait on a forecast path to China. Danas knocked out power for more than 580,000 households, and schools and offices were closed across southern and central parts of Taiwan. The typhoon made landfall on the west coast late Sunday with maximum sustained winds of 144 kph (89 mph). It dumped more than 60 centimeters (24 inches) of rain in places, causing landslides and flooding. Two deaths were reported in the southwestern city of Tainan, according to the National Fire Agency. One person died when their vehicle was struck by a falling tree, while another died after his respirator malfunctioned due to losing power. At least 334 people suffered injuries, while more than 3,400 people were forced to evacuate mostly f

Latest typhoon lashes Philippines, causing tidal surges, displacing masses

A powerful typhoon wrecked houses, caused towering tidal surges and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to emergency shelters as it cut across the northern Philippines on Sunday in the sixth major storm to hit the country in less than a month. Typhoon Man-yi slammed into the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Saturday night with sustained winds of up to 195 kilometers (125 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph). The country's weather agency warned of a potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation in provinces along its path. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the typhoon, which was forecast to blow northwestward on Sunday across northern Luzon, the archipelago's most populous region. The capital region of metropolitan Manila would likely be spared from a direct hit but was placed, along with outlying regions, under storm alerts and warned of dangerous coastal storm surges. The rain was minimal, but the wind was very strong a

Philippines braces for another typhoon, fifth major storm to hit in 3 weeks

The fifth major storm in three weeks approached the Philippines on Thursday, prompting more largescale evacuations and a United Nations request for emergency funds to help the government ease the plight of hard-hit villagers. Typhoon Usagi had sustained winds of up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 230 kph (143 mph) and was forecast to strengthen further before slamming Thursday afternoon into the coast of Cagayan province at the northern tip of Luzon, the country's most populous agricultural region. Another storm was brewing in the Pacific and may hit the northern Philippines this weekend, according to forecasters. The country's weather agency warned of life-threatening tidal surges of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) in coastal areas of Cagayan and seven other nearby provinces and clusters of islands, and urged all ships to remain in port or immediately take shelter. Typhoon Toraji blew away from the northern Philippines just two days ago after unleashi

Storm-weary Philippines evacuates thousands as another typhoon hits

A new typhoon barreled across an agricultural region in the northeastern Philippines on Monday after thousands were evacuated to safety while still struggling to recover from the devastation caused by three successive storms in the last three weeks. Typhoon Toraji slammed into northeastern Aurora province and was forecast to blow over the mountainous Luzon region, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. just the day before inspected the damage from the last storm and led the distribution of food packs to residents in Cagayan and Ilocos provinces. Marcos skipped this week's Asia-Pacific Cooperation forum in Peru to oversee recovery efforts from back-to-back storms. After making landfall in Aurora on Monday morning with sustained winds of up to 130 kilometers (81 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 180 kph (112 mph), the typhoon was expected to barrel northwestward across Luzon, weaken as it crosses a mountain range and then blow into the South China Sea. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remul

2 dead, 500 injured as Typhoon Kong-rey causes massive damage in Taiwan

As of Friday morning, strong winds and heavy rain from the storm had caused two deaths, injured 515 people and left four others unaccounted for

Typhoon Kong-rey hits Taiwan: 2 dead, 500 injured amid widespread damage

The Ministry of National Defence said that it had mobilised to support regional recovery from Typhoon Kong-rey

Taiwan closes schools and offices as typhoon Kong-rey reaches east coast

Schools and offices have been closed in Taiwan as a powerful typhoon made landfall on Thursday, bringing high winds and floods to much of the island's east coast and northern areas. Flights and train service have also been suspended and 8,600 people moved to shelters. Typhoon Kong-rey was blowing at 184 km (114 miles) per hour with gusts of up to 227 km (141 miles) per hour as it moved over the eastern county of Taitung. Parts of Yilan and Hualien Counties were inundated by heavy rain, but many farmers in the largely rural areas had already brought in their crops in anticipation of damage from the storm. No deaths or major property damage have been reported from Kong-rey so far in Taiwan. The storm prompted villagers in northern Philippine provinces to evacuate to shelters on Wednesday. Taiwan authorities reported 27 injuries from the storm and said they were seeking to contact a pair of Czech tourists who had been hiking in Hualien's Tarako National Park, famed for its steep cliffs

As typhoon nears Philippines, shelters still crammed after recent storm

Villagers in northern Philippine provinces were forced to evacuate on Wednesday as a powerful typhoon approached the nation still reeling from a recent storm that left at least 182 dead and missing and emergency shelters crammed with displaced people. Typhoon Kong-rey was last tracked 350 kilometers (217 miles) east of northern Cagayan province, with sustained winds of up to 185 kph (115 mph) and gusting up to 230 kph (143 mph). Forecasters said it could further strengthen at sea. It was blowing northwestward and was predicted to pass near the northernmost Philippine province of Batanes before slamming into southeastern Taiwan on Thursday. "We are still recovering from the two previous typhoon and storm and here we go again, Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco told The Associated Press. "We're going around now to supervise the forced evacuation of people, specially those whose houses were severely damaged by the last storm, Cayco said. Elsewhere across the northern Philippines, more th

Work, travel resumes across Taiwan after Typhoon Krathon dissipates

Work, classes and flights resumed across Taiwan on Friday after Typhoon Krathon brought torrential rainfall to the island but finally dissipated over a mountain range. A heavy rain advisory remained in place for the northern coast and mountainous areas, where two landslides occurred early Friday. Krathon had brought much of the island to a standstill for three days but weakened to a tropical depression early Friday. Its center moved back over the sea after making a U-turn across the island's southwestern tip overnight. Schools and businesses reopened with the exception of the city of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, and some parts of Hualien County and New Taipei. Domestic flights, which had been grounded for two days, resumed. Krathon lashed Kaohsiung with winds up to 126 kph (78 mph) and higher gusts. It felled trees and flooded roads. Heavy rains and flooding also occurred along Taiwan's southern and eastern coasts. Mountainous Taitung County saw 171 centimeters (5.6 feet) of rain ov

Taiwan clears up, slowly re-opens after devastation from Typhoon Krathon

Typhoons almost always hit Taiwan's mountainous and sparsely populated east coast which faces the Pacific Ocean

Taiwan hospital fire leaves at least 9 dead as typhoon hits island's south

A fire at a hospital in southern Taiwan killed at least nine people Thursday as the island was being battered by a typhoon. The fire occurred in Pingtung county, which has been hit hard by Typhoon Krathon, which made landfall in the afternoon with torrential rains and heavy winds and has brought parts of the island to a standstill. Those who died inhaled smoke from the fire, the source of which was still under investigation. Soldiers from a nearby base were mobilised to aid medical workers and firefighters in the evacuation of patients and putting out the flames. Reports said 176 patients were rushed to the front entrance and transferred to ambulances or tarps, used to shield them from the pouring rain. They were moved to shelters nearby. Krathon made landfall in the major port city of Kaohsiung, packing winds of 126 kph (78 mph) with higher gusts, according to Taiwan's weather authorities. The slow-moving typhoon has doused eastern and southern parts of the island over the past f

Weakened but still strong Typhoon Krathon hits Taiwan, two people dead

An approaching typhoon bringing strong winds and torrential rainfall to Taiwan killed two people and injured more than 100 people over the past few days while forcing thousands to evacuate from low-lying or mountainous areas. At least 102 people were injured and two people died due to weather conditions attributed to Typhoon Krathon, Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Center said on Wednesday. One elderly man died after falling off a ladder while pruning tree branches in the eastern city of Hualien. Another man died after crashing into fallen rocks while driving in Taitung county. Two others were missing. The typhoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 173 kilometres per hour and gusts of 209 kilometres per hour, was expected to make landfall early on Thursday on Taiwan's densely populated west coast, according to the Central Weather Administration. The strongest winds are expected on the island's southwest portion. Typhoons rarely hit Taiwan's west coast, affecting instead the .

4,000 evacuated as typhoon bringing heavy rain heads toward Taiwan

A typhoon bringing strong winds and torrential rainfall slowly advanced Wednesday toward Taiwan, where thousands of people have been evacuated from vulnerable low-lying or mountainous terrain. At least 93 centimeters (3 feet) of rain has fallen in the coastal Taitung County in the past four days and 29 centimeters (11.4 inches) in the major port city of Kaohsiung ahead of Typhoon Krathon. The typhoon, packing maximum sustained winds near the center of 173 kph (108 mph) and gusts of 209 kph (130 mph), is expected to make landfall early Thursday on Taiwan's densely populated west coast, according to the island's Central Weather Administration. Typhoons rarely hit Taiwan's west coast, affecting instead the mountainous, eastern side of the island. Authorities shut schools and government offices across the island and canceled all domestic flights. In the eastern Hualien County, more than 3,000 people were evacuated from townships vulnerable to landslides. Almost 200 people in the ...

Taiwan shuts down ahead of Typhoon Krathon's arrival, heavy rain forecast

The typhoon has weakened, but the threat from a storm surge and strong winds and rain remains as it slowly makes its way towards Taiwan's coast, the weather administration said

Taiwan warns of storm surge from Typhoon Krathon, mobilises 40,000 troops

The rail line connecting southern to eastern Taiwan was closed, though the north-south high speed line was operating as normal, albeit with enhanced safety checks for wind and debris

Taiwan shuts schools and offices ahead of direct hit from powerful typhoon

Taiwan closed schools and offices and evacuated hundreds from vulnerable areas around the island Tuesday ahead of a strong typhoon expected to hit its populated western coast after lashing northern Philippine islands. More than 500 people were moved from mountainous regions prone to landslides. Nearly 40,000 troops were mobilized to help with rescue efforts, according to the Defense Ministry. Typhoon Krathon is expected to hit the major port city of Kaohsiung in the island's southwest on Wednesday morning then move across the center of Taiwan and northeast toward the East China Sea, according to the Central Weather Administration. It is expected to be felt in the capital Taipei on Wednesday and Thursday. In Kaohsiung, a city of 2.7 million people, many stores and restaurants were closed. Up to 80 centimeters (31 inches) of rain was forecast in its mountainous areas. The storm was moving toward the island with maximum sustained winds of 198 kph (123 mph) and gusts of 245 kph (152 mp

Intensifying Typhoon Krathon forecast to hit Taiwan's populated west coast

The typhoon is expected to further intensify into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, packing powerful winds