KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — 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.
REUTERS