31-10-2024 (TAIPEI) Taiwan faced its largest typhoon in nearly three decades as Kong-rey made landfall on Thursday, bringing destructive winds and torrential rainfall that left nearly half a million homes without power and paralysed much of the island’s transport network.
The powerful storm, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane, struck Taiwan’s eastern coast between Taitung and Hualien counties, with wind gusts exceeding 250 kilometres per hour. The Central Weather Administration confirmed it as the largest typhoon system to affect the island since 1996.
One fatality has been reported after a lorry driver collided with a fallen tree in central Taiwan, as authorities urged residents to remain indoors. President Lai Ching-te took to social media to appeal for public cooperation, warning against dangerous activities such as storm watching.
On Lanyu, also known as Orchid Island, local official Sinan Rapongan described a harrowing night as wind speeds topped 260kph before monitoring equipment failed. “The island endured a sleepless night with residents deeply concerned about potential property damage,” she told Reuters.
The storm’s impact extended beyond immediate weather effects, with environmental teams scrambling to contain potential oil leakage from a Chinese cargo vessel that ran aground on Taiwan’s northern coastline. Meanwhile, the defence ministry mobilised 36,000 troops for emergency response, with over 1,300 residents evacuated from high-risk areas.
???? Breaking News: Super Typhoon Kong-Rey ????
????????Kong-Rey Could Be Taiwan’s Largest Since 1996???? ???? Typhoon #KongRey in Taiwan intensified into a super typhoon and now poses a significant threat to the Northwest Pacific.
⚠️ Taiwan Faces One of Its Most Intense Storms in Decades! ⚠️… pic.twitter.com/bfa1ZtYgO0— Dilojan (@umadilojan) October 31, 2024
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world’s leading chipmaker, implemented standard typhoon protocols but indicated minimal disruption to operations. However, the broader transport sector saw significant disruption, with 314 international flights cancelled and domestic services completely suspended.
The high-speed rail network maintained limited operations along the western corridor, though services were substantially reduced. Meteorologists predict Kong-rey will track northward along China’s Fujian province coastline by Friday morning.
This marks Taiwan’s second major typhoon this month, following Typhoon Krathon which claimed four lives in the island’s southern region
