Wind and rain batter Taiwan as Super Typhoon Kong-rey approaches

KEELUNG, Taiwan (AFP) – Fierce winds and heavy rains lashed Taiwan on Thursday as supertyphoon Kong-rey approached, forcing thousands of people to flee one of the most powerful storms to threaten the island in years.

The fast-moving Kong-rey was expected to make landfall within hours along the sparsely populated, mountainous eastern coast, where many people had been evacuated.

Kong-rey had wind gusts of nearly 260 kilometers per hour (161 miles per hour), according to the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

The storm is currently more powerful than Typhoon Gaemi, which was the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years when it made landfall in July.

“As the typhoon approaches, we should watch out for strong winds near the center,” Chu Mei-lin, a state forecaster with the Central Weather Administration, said at a briefing.

“Its impact on all of Taiwan will be quite severe.”

Work and schools were suspended across Taiwan on Thursday as people hunkered down from the storm.

The streets of Taipei were largely deserted after heavy rains and strong winds lashed the capital.

At least 27 people were injured as a result of the fierce weather, downed trees and four mudslides were reported, the National Fire Agency said on Thursday, without providing details.

Kong-rey flew at a speed of 28 kilometers per hour (16 miles per hour), heading towards Hualien and Taitung counties, causing waves up to 10 meters high.

The storm was expected to weaken after making landfall and then pass through the island before leaving the Taiwan Strait in the evening, Chu said.

The Central Meteorological Administration earlier said Kong-rey, with a radius of 320 kilometers, was on track to become the most expansive, strong typhoon to make landfall in almost 30 years.

More than a meter of rain could fall in hardest-hit areas of the east coast by Friday as the seasonal monsoon also flooded the island of 23 million earlier in the week, prompting landslide warnings.

Authorities began evacuations in eight counties and cities on Wednesday, including Yilan, Hualien and Taitung, according to the National Fire Agency.

By the evening, over 6,200 people had been evacuated from their homes.

Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rainfall, flash floods and stronger wind gusts.

Kong-rey will be the third typhoon to hit Taiwan since July.

Gaemi killed at least 10 people, injured hundreds and caused widespread flooding in the southern seaport of Kaohsiung.

Then, in early October, Krathon struck, killing at least four people and injuring hundreds, causing mudslides, floods and record-breaking gusts.