Typhoon Gaemi Loses Strength After Hitting Taiwan: Heading Toward China With Fatalities

Typhoon Gaemi weakened on Thursday after passing through Taiwan, where it left two dead and more than 260 injured and caused torrential rains, fallen trees and transport problems. It is heading towards the coasts of southeastern China, whose authorities have been put on high alert.

The storm made landfall in eastern Yilan County as a super typhoon at midnight Wednesday and headed north of the island, gradually easing its winds from peak gusts of 234 kilometers per hour (km/h) to 190 km/h.

According to the Central Meteorological Agency (CWA), Gaemi was located about 90 kilometers west of the northern city of Hsinchu at 10:15 a.m. local time (02:15 GMT), having strengthened into a moderate typhoon and was moving through the Taiwan Strait toward southeastern China’s Fujian province.

The agency expects the typhoon to bring heavy rainfall to Taiwan on Thursday, especially in mountainous areas in the center and south of the island.

Gaemi leaves two dead

In this context, the authorities have ordered the closure of schools and offices throughout the island for the second consecutive day, in the face of a storm that, according to the latest official figures, has left two dead and more than 260 injured to varying degrees.

Taiwan’s rail services, including high-speed lines, will not operate until Thursday afternoon, and hundreds of domestic and international flights have been cancelled.

According to images broadcast by local television, Gaemi has caused significant damage across almost the entire island, with trees toppled, roofs partially torn off and streets flooded, prompting the evacuation of more than 8,500 people from the most vulnerable areas.

The storm has also caused power outages in more than 530,000 homes, according to figures from state-run utility Taipower, with 92,800 still without electricity as of early Thursday.

China is preparing

Meanwhile, China’s Central Meteorological Observatory issued its first red alert this year on Wednesday morning, predicting that Gaemi will make landfall in Fujian Province in the afternoon or evening on Thursday after passing Taiwan.

Storm tracking platform Zoom.earth forecasts Gaemi will make landfall at around 2:00 p.m. local time (06:00 GMT) Thursday near the city of Fuzhou in Fujian, with maximum winds of 140 km/h.

Provincial authorities have therefore evacuated 156,800 residents at risk of being affected by the typhoon, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

In addition, 73 passenger ferry routes have been suspended and 97 flights cancelled. More than 29,000 people working on fishing boats along the coast have been evacuated to land, and 733 fishing vessels have sought refuge in ports, the outlet said.

As of Wednesday, 104 municipalities in Fujian reported accumulated rainfall exceeding 50 millimeters, and 25 municipalities reported rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters.