Typhoon Haikui made landfall in Taiwan, causing widespread damage and leading to dozens of injuries. The storm, which hit the east coast on Sunday, uprooted trees and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Among the injured were two individuals who were hurt when a falling tree hit their car in a mountainous region. The majority of injuries were caused by falling debris. Thankfully, there have been no reports of any deaths or major structural damage.
Cleanup crews are now working to restore services after approximately 160,000 homes lost power during the storm. Despite being the first major storm to directly hit Taiwan in four years, there is no significant destruction. The southern and eastern regions of the country were hit the hardest, while the capital city of Taipei experienced heavy rainfall. As a precaution, businesses, schools, and domestic flights and ferry services to surrounding islands were all suspended.
As Typhoon Haikui weakens and turns into a tropical storm, it is headed towards China’s southern coast and is expected to make landfall there on Monday night. This comes just days after Typhoon Saola, which bypassed Taiwan but still posed a significant threat to Hong Kong and southern China. Chinese authorities have extended warnings from Typhoon Saola to include Typhoon Haikui, urging boats to remain in harbour due to the strong winds and big surf caused by the storms.
Despite the destruction caused by Typhoon Haikui, Taiwan’s disaster preparedness measures have proven effective in limiting casualties and major damages. Immediate evacuation efforts and the early suspension of various services helped protect the population and minimize the impact of the storm. The resilience of the affected regions will be tested as they work to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of the typhoon.
Typhoon Haikui Causes Injuries and Evacuations in Taiwan
