Taipei: Taiwan came to a standstill on Wednesday as Typhoon Krathon approached, prompting widespread shutdowns, grounded flights, and the closure of offices, schools, and financial markets. The storm, while weakening, is forecast to bring dangerous storm surges along the coast and heavy rain.
Kaohsiung, a major port city in the direct path of the typhoon, urged residents to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas, rivers, and mountains. Authorities warned of potential devastation similar to that caused by Typhoon Thelma in 1977, which left 37 dead and caused widespread destruction in the city of 2.7 million people.
Although Taiwan frequently experiences typhoons, they typically impact the less populated, mountainous eastern coast. However, Krathon is expected to make landfall on Taiwan’s flatter western plains. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) predicts the storm will hit between Kaohsiung and neighboring Tainan in the early hours of Thursday before moving north along the west coast toward Taipei.
In anticipation, cities and counties across Taiwan declared a day off on Wednesday, closing financial markets and halting operations. Domestic flights were suspended, and 246 international flights were canceled. While the north-south high-speed rail remained operational, services were significantly reduced.
Despite the storm weakening, the CWA continues to warn of the risk posed by storm surges, strong winds, and heavy rain as Krathon slowly approaches the island.
“Because Typhoon Gaemi was quite severe earlier this year, everyone is more cautious and prepared this time,” said Yu Ren-yu, a 35-year-old sales representative, while collecting sandbags from a government office. Referring to July’s storm that claimed 11 lives, he added, “First be prepared, then we can face this typhoon.”
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Chou Yi-tang, a government official in Siaogang district, which is home to the Kaohsiung International Airport, said the older generation still remembers the devastation of Typhoon Thelma, which is why many are taking extra precautions. “We were hit directly by the eyewall,” Chou recalled. “Power was out for two weeks, and there was no water for almost a month. It was disastrous.” He added that more than 700 sandbags have been distributed in his district alone, a record number for a typhoon, with additional supplies being prepared to meet growing demand.
Taiwan’s defense ministry has put over 38,000 troops on standby in case of emergencies. Meanwhile, the fire department reported 46 injuries, most of them in the mountainous eastern county of Taitung, and one person is missing in central Taiwan’s Yunlin county.
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TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and a key supplier to companies like Apple and Nvidia, stated on Tuesday that it does not expect significant disruptions to its operations. Most of TSMC’s factories, including those in Tainan, are located along Taiwan’s west coast, where the typhoon is expected to hit.
