Typhoon Krathon Hits Taiwan

Two people have died and 120 were injured after Typhoon Krathon hit southwest Taiwan on Thursday. Tens of thousands of people are without power, streets are flooded, and some people are missing.

‘Weird’ path: The storm’s weather pattern was described as “weird” by local media after it stalled off Taiwan’s coast Wednesday night. It then moved slowly toward the western coast, an unusual pattern for typhoons.

Krathon finally made landfall around noon on Thursday, bringing wind gusts of around 100 mph and dumping over 5 feet of rain on some regions.

Preparations: Most of the island shut down in preparation for the storm. Approximately 10,000 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas. Water pumps were dispensed, and thousands of sandbags were distributed. Around 38,000 soldiers were deployed to help disaster relief efforts.

“Fortunately people were well prepared this time,” said Chou Yi-tang, a government official in Siaogang district. “It’s been a long time since such a big storm made landfall here.”

This is one of the most powerful storms we’ve seen hit the west coast in recent memory. We urge all residents to stay sheltered and be prepared for extensive rainfall.
—Chen Chi-mai, Kaohsiung mayor

Damage: Nevertheless, Taiwan was still battered by the storm. Trees were uprooted, cargo containers were blown off piers, and torrential rain flooded areas.

A fire was also ignited at a local hospital, killing nine people.

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Storms like Krathon are becoming fiercer and more frequent. To understand why, read our booklet Why ‘Natural’ Disasters?