Taiwan closes due to the arrival of powerful typhoon Kong-rey

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Taiwan closes due to the arrival of powerful typhoon Kong-rey

TAIPEI: Taiwan closed its doors before the arrival of strong typhoon Kong-rey On Thursday, October 31, all cities and counties declared a day off, financial markets were closed and domestic flights were canceled due to what is expected to be the largest storm in terms of magnitude in 30 years.

The storm is expected to make landfall on the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast around 2 p.m. (0600 GMT), according to the Taiwan Central Meteorological Administration, with strong winds and torrential rain affecting almost the entire island.

Kong-rey, which was at one point a super typhoon, weakened slightly overnight but remained powerful, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane, with gusts of more than 250 km/h, according to Tropical Storm Risk.

The Taiwan Meteorological Administration described the storm as a “strong typhoon”, the strongest storm level for Taiwan, adding that it would be the largest typhoon to hit the island since 1996.

Warnings for damaging winds of more than 160 km/h were issued in the eastern county of Taitung, whose outlying island of Lanyu recorded gusts above 260 km/h before some of the wind barometers were out of order. service.

Up to 1.2 million rainfall is expected in eastern Taiwan, accompanied by damaging winds along coastal areas, according to the administration.

The Defense Ministry put 36,000 troops on standby to help with rescue efforts, while 1,300 people were evacuated in advance from high-risk areas, the government said.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and a major supplier to companies including Apple and Nvidia, said it has activated routine typhoon alert preparedness procedures at all its factories and construction sites.

“We do not anticipate any significant impact to our operations,” it said in an emailed statement.

Taiwan’s high-speed railway, which connects major cities in the populated western plains, continued to operate with greatly reduced service.

The government has warned people to stay away from the mountains and the coast.

Kong-rey is expected to weaken further as it passes through central Taiwan, then heads toward the Taiwan Strait and brushes China on Friday morning.

Taiwan’s subtropical region is frequently hit by typhoons. The latest, Typhoon Krathon, killed four people earlier this month as it crossed the south of the island.

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