The eye of Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taitung County's Chenggong Township (成功) at 1:40pm, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, as strong winds and heavy rains from the typhoon caused power outages, flooding and mudslides across the country, with 27 injuries and two tourists missing.
The typhoon — the first in Taiwan's history to make landfall after mid-October — was moving in a north-northwesterly direction at 21kph when it hit land, CWA data showed.
The fast-moving storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 184kph, with gusts of up to 227kph, CWA data showed.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
The CWA said it had issued heavy to extremely torrential rain warnings covering northern, eastern and southern Taiwan, with the heaviest rainfall totals expected in mountainous areas of Yilan and Hualien counties.
All of Taiwan was also under a strong wind alert, with wind gusts of level 14 or above on the Beaufort Scale (149kph to 165kph) expected in Taitung, Hualien and Penghu counties, the CWA said.
As of 7am today, the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) reported 27 injuries resulting from the typhoon, but no deaths.
However, the center said it had not yet established contact with two Czech Republic tourists who it confirmed had entered Taroko National Park.
No other people have been reported missing.
The CEOC added that 27 visitors at Taichung's Wuling Farm have been asked to stay put, as descending the mountain during the typhoon could be dangerous.
Food, water and lodging have been provided, the center said, adding that tourists would be able to leave when conditions are considered safe.
A total of 26 people, including two foreigners, staying at Taichung's Lishan Guesthouse — atop the city's Li Mountain (梨山) — have also been asked to remain on the mountain.
Twenty-four visitors who were all part of the same tour group initially tried to leave the mountain at 7am, but were forced to turn back.
The CEOC said residents continued to be evacuated today in New Taipei City, Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Hsinchu, Nantou, Pingtung, Yilan, Hualien and Taitung counties.
As of 8am, 8,600 people had been relocated and 71 emergency shelters had been set up, the CEOC said, adding that 1,321 people are currently sheltering there.
Power outages, flooding and mudslides have taken place across the country, especially in the east.
In Hualien County's Yuli (玉里) and Jhuosi (卓溪) townships, rainfall exceeded 300mm within 24 hours, triggering mudslides that obstructed roads and damaged infrastructure.
Local authorities reported rivers overflowing, which washed away a bridge in Hualien's Fuli Township (富里).
Roads in Yuli Township were also blocked by fallen trees, with landslides and muddy waters flooding homes, parks and essential roadways.
Chiang Tung-cheng (江東成), head of Fuli Township, reminded residents in hazardous areas who have been evacuated to follow the authorities' instructions and avoid returning on their own.
About 96,000 households were without power as of 1pm, including more than 23,000 in Taitung County and more than 14,000 each in Hualien County, New Taipei City and Chiayi County, Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) said.
The CWA said it expects the eye of the storm to pull away from the west coast of Taiwan sometime overnight, followed by the storm's outer rim tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, President William Lai (賴清德) inspected the CEOC and thanked the public and private sector for their collaboration in emergency response.
Lai said swift reconstruction is a priority, with immediate aid being planned to support the agriculture sector and help communities return to normal.
Super Typhoon Kong-rey is the largest cyclone to impact Taiwan in 27 years, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Kong-rey’s radius of maximum wind (RMW) — the distance between the center of a cyclone and its band of strongest winds — has expanded to 320km, CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said. The last time a typhoon of comparable strength with an RMW larger than 300km made landfall in Taiwan was Typhoon Herb in 1996, he said. Herb made landfall between Keelung and Suao (蘇澳) in Yilan County with an RMW of 350km, Chang said. The weather station in Alishan (阿里山) recorded 1.09m of
STORM’S PATH: Kong-Rey could be the first typhoon to make landfall in Taiwan in November since Gilda in 1967. Taitung-Green Island ferry services have been halted Tropical Storm Kong-rey is forecast to strengthen into a typhoon early today and could make landfall in Taitung County between late Thursday and early Friday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Kong-Rey was 1,030km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the nation’s southernmost point, and was moving west at 7kph. The tropical storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126 kph, CWA data showed. After landing in Taitung, the eye of the storm is forecast to move into the Taiwan Strait through central Taiwan on Friday morning, the agency said. With the storm moving
NO WORK, CLASS: President William Lai urged people in the eastern, southern and northern parts of the country to be on alert, with Typhoon Kong-rey approaching Typhoon Kong-rey is expected to make landfall on Taiwan’s east coast today, with work and classes canceled nationwide. Packing gusts of nearly 300kph, the storm yesterday intensified into a typhoon and was expected to gain even more strength before hitting Taitung County, the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center said. The storm is forecast to cross Taiwan’s south, enter the Taiwan Strait and head toward China, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The CWA labeled the storm a “strong typhoon,” the most powerful on its scale. Up to 1.2m of rainfall was expected in mountainous areas of eastern Taiwan and destructive winds are likely
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday at 5:30pm issued a sea warning for Typhoon Kong-rey as the storm drew closer to the east coast. As of 8pm yesterday, the storm was 670km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) and traveling northwest at 12kph to 16kph. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 162kph and gusts of up to 198kph, the CWA said. A land warning might be issued this morning for the storm, which is expected to have the strongest impact on Taiwan from tonight to early Friday morning, the agency said. Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) and Green Island (綠島) canceled classes and work
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