Typhoon Kong-rey Strikes Taiwan’s Coast

Typhoon Kong-rey, identified as the most significant typhoon to directly impact Taiwan in almost three decades, has reached the island’s eastern coastline. On Thursday, educational institutions and businesses throughout Taiwan ceased operations, and grocery stores experienced depleted shelves as millions of inhabitants prepared for the storm, which struck around 13:40 local time (04:40 GMT). Prior to its landfall, Typhoon Kong-rey exhibited wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h near its core, classifying it as comparable to a Category 4 hurricane. Concurrently, hundreds of air and sea transport services were halted, and Taiwan’s stock exchange also ceased operations. According to authorities on Thursday afternoon, the typhoon has resulted in injuries to more than 70 individuals and claimed at least one life. The fatality involved a 56-year-old woman who perished when a falling tree impacted the vehicle she occupied. During the local evening hours, officials reported that the storm’s intensity diminished to that of a “moderate typhoon.” Furthermore, the electricity provider Taiwan Power Company stated that the typhoon led to power disruptions affecting 500,000 residences. An employee from the administrative office of a local township in the eastern county of Hualien informed the news agency AFP that their office was continuously receiving reports of emergencies from local inhabitants, but responders were unable to reach them “due to severe wind and rain”. The occurrence of a typhoon of this magnitude so late in the year is considered uncommon. Taiwan’s weather agency indicates that the island’s typhoon season typically spans from July to September. Over the past eight decades, all the most powerful typhoons have occurred within this period. However, this year, two significant storms have impacted Taiwan in October, with the other being super typhoon Krathon, which resulted in four fatalities and over 700 injuries. A resident in Hualien conveyed to a television reporter, stating, “I’m 70 years old,” and adding, “and I have never seen a typhoon hit this late in the year.” Since July, ocean scientists have documented global sea surface temperatures approaching record highs, indicating an increased amount of thermal energy available on the ocean’s surface to fuel storm systems. Apart from the severe wind velocities associated with typhoons, a significant danger posed by these storms frequently stems from the substantial moisture they transport, which can precipitate heavy rainfall, inundations, and mudslides. Typhoon Morakot, which occurred in August 2009, stands as the most lethal storm to affect Taiwan in recent decades. This Category 1 storm deposited 2,777 mm of precipitation across the southern part of the island, triggering flash floods and landslides that claimed the lives of almost 900 individuals. Forecasters from the island’s weather agency predict that the eastern region of Taiwan, anticipated to bear the brunt of Typhoon Kong-rey, could experience as much as 1,200 mm of rainfall between October 29 and November 1. The defence ministry of Taiwan mobilized 36,000 military personnel, placing them on standby for prospective rescue operations. Authorities reported that approximately 8,600 individuals have already been moved from zones identified as high-risk. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, following his attendance at a typhoon briefing on Thursday morning, advised residents to remain indoors and steer clear of hazardous locations, including coastal areas for wave observation. The weather agency indicated that Kong-rey is projected to progressively diminish in strength after it makes landfall and traverses Taiwan. The storm is anticipated to depart the island by Friday.