A sea warning could be issued this morning after a tropical storm approaching Taiwan was upgraded to a typhoon, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday.
It is still uncertain whether a land warning for Typhoon Muifa would be necessary, the bureau said.
As of 6pm yesterday, Muifa was 515km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, and was moving northwest at 11kph, bureau data showed.
The typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 119kph, with gusts of up to 155kph, and was strengthening, it said.
The storm is expected to slow down and linger east of Taiwan today, with its outer bands bringing rain and winds to northern and eastern Taiwan, it said.
From today to Thursday, mountainous areas in northeastern and northern Taiwan, including Keelung, and the north coast are likely to have strong winds and heavy rain, it said.
In other parts of the country, the weather would be sunny to cloudy, with brief afternoon showers, the bureau forecast.
Ferry service on three routes connecting Taiwan proper with Lienchiang County and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) would be suspended today, local authorities said yesterday.
The operator that runs the ferry service between Keelung and Lienchiang announced that it had canceled Taima Star Ferry and Taima Ferry services for today, the Port Authority said in a statement.
Ferry operators have also canceled services to Orchid Island from Pingtung County’s Houbihu Port (後壁湖) and Taitung County’s Fugang Fishing Port (富岡漁港) today, the authority said.
Ferry services from Fugang Fishery Harbor to Taitung County’s Green Island (綠島) would be subject to weather conditions, the authority said.
It said it has coordinated with ferry operators to open an additional 10 voyages yesterday to allow people to leave Orchid Island and Green Island before the storm.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old