Weakened but still strong Typhoon Krathon slams into Taiwan

3/10/2024 13:17

        A weakened and "weird" Typhoon Krathon slammed into southwestern Taiwan on Thursday, hitting the island with a storm that has killed two people so far and forced it to shut down a second day with hundreds of flights grounded and financial markets closed.
        
        Krathon made landfall as a much weaker category 1 typhoon around midday at major port city Kaohsiung. The government, though, still warned people to stay at home given torrential rain, strong winds and storm surges coinciding with high tide.
        
        Shortly after dawn, residents in Kaohsiung, a city of some 2.7 million people, began receiving texted warnings telling them to seek shelter from gusts of more than 160 kph (100 mph).
        
        Kaohsiung's port recorded gusts of more than 220 kph.
        
        Taiwan's fire department reported two deaths as the approaching typhoon brought torrential rains across the island. Both fatalities were on the mountainous and sparsely populated east coast, one man falling while trimming a tree and another man whose vehicle was hit by a falling rock.
        
        Parts of eastern Taiwan recorded rainfall of more than 1.6 metres (5.2 ft), bringing rocks and mud cascading down onto roads.