Weaker but still powerful, “weird” Typhoon Krathon slams into Taiwan, two dead

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By Yimou Lee, Fabian Hamacher and Ann Wang

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (Reuters) – A weakened “weird” Typhoon Krathon slammed into southwestern Taiwan on Thursday, bringing heavy rain and flooding, cutting power to about 178,000 homes and causing two deaths in the island’s east.

Hundreds of flights were grounded and financial markets stayed closed for a second day.

Krathon hit land as a Category 1 typhoon around midday in the port city of Kaohsiung, having weakened as it rolled in but still felling trees and street-lights and sending debris flying.

As pounding rain, howling winds and storm surges coincided with high tide, the government urged people to stay at home.

“It’s very powerful,” said Chou Yi-tang, a government official in Siaogang district, home to Kaohsiung’s airport. “It’s been a long time since such a big storm made a landfall here.”

No major casualties were reported, however, Chou said, adding: “Fortunately people were well prepared this time.”

But the fire department reported two deaths as torrential rains lashed Taiwan, both on the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast. One victim fell while trimming a tree and the other died when a vehicle was hit by a rock.

Typhoons often hit Taiwan’s east coast facing the Pacific, but Krathon is unusual since it directly hit the west coast and also hovered off the coast before reaching land. Taiwan’s media labelled it a “weird” storm.

Knee-high flood waters flowed in some districts of Kaohsiung.

Mayor Chen Chi-mai, writing on his Facebook page, said there was an “incredible amount” of rain from the slow-moving storm.

“Citizens and friends, please take strict precautions,” he said.

Shortly after dawn, residents of the city of about 2.7 million began receiving text messages warning them to seek shelter from gusts of more than 160 kph (100 mph), while its port was lashed by record gusts exceeding 220 kph (137 mph).

More than 178,000 homes lost electricity, half of them in Kaohsiung, state-run utility Taipower said.

“I have never seen anything like this before,” said a Taipower engineer who gave his family name as Hsih as he inspected damage to power infrastructure.

CHIPMAKER STAY OPEN

All domestic flights were cancelled for a second day as well as 242 international ones. The north-south high-speed rail line suspended services between central and southern regions until at least early evening.

Taiwan’s financial markets also closed for a second day. But in the capital Taipei many shops and malls stayed open despite squally rain showers.

Some eastern regions received more than 1.6 m (5.2 ft) of rain, washing cascades of rocks and mud on to roads.

The Southern Taiwan Science Park, site of one of the main factories of chipmaker TSMC, said operations were normal.

Some eastern regions received more than 1.6 m (5.2 ft) of rain, washing cascades of rocks and mud on to roads.

The typhoon is forecast to slowly work its way up Taiwan’s flat western plain and weaken further by Friday, becoming a tropical depression over the central region.

The Kaohsiung government has been particularly careful in its disaster preparations since the last such storm in 1977, Typhoon Thelma, killed 37 people and devastated the city.