Typhoon Haikui swept across Taiwan with heavy rain and storms. At least 78 people were injured. Although the tropical storm is now heading for southern China, there is still no all-clear for Taiwan.
Typhoon Haikui swept across Taiwan with gusts of wind at speeds of up to 190 kilometers per hour, causing enormous damage. According to the country’s emergency center, at least 78 people were injured. Many of them are therefore car and scooter drivers who were hit by falling trees.
The south and east of the country were badly affected. There were local landslides and floods. In the meantime, “Haikui” has moved towards China via southern Taiwan, but the effects of the typhoon are still being felt.
The damage caused by the typhoon is particularly visible in the south-east of the country, as here in the municipality of Taitung.
More than 225,000 households without electricity
A good 34,000 households currently have to get by without electricity. According to the authorities, around 226,000 households have lost electricity in the meantime. Schools and shops are still closed in many regions, and there is a one-day rest period in some areas. 8,000 people were brought to safety in advance, 1,900 found temporary protection in public facilities.
Not only on the roads, but also in air traffic, “Haikui” still causes impairments: almost 190 domestic flights have been canceled, international connections are less affected according to the responsible aviation authority. Ferries to and from surrounding islands are suspended.
In parts of Taiwan, like here in northeastern Keelung, public life is gradually taking place again.
Taiwan’s people should remain vigilant
Taiwan’s Interior Minister Lin Yu-Chang called on the population to remain extremely vigilant as the past few days’ heavy rains could cause flooding in valleys in some mountainous areas. The national weather office expects a lot of rain until the middle of the week. The typhoon warning can only be expected to be lifted on Tuesday.
“Haikui” is the first typhoon to hit Taiwan directly in four years. The storm had first reached the Pacific east coast on Sunday afternoon and then moved over the south. Now he is heading across the sea through the Taiwan Strait to southern China. There, the weather authority warns of strong winds and high waves on the affected coastline. Only at the weekend was the region and Hong Kong hit by Typhoon “Saola”. One person died and dozens were injured.