Five-meter waves hit Taiwan ahead of typhoon 'Kong-rey'

Photo: Johnson Lai Associated Press A fisherman secures his boat at the fishing port of Pa-tou-tzu in northeastern Taiwan before the arrival of “Kong-rey.”

Akio Wang – Agence France-Presse and Joy Chiang – Agence France-Presse respectively in Yilan and Taipei

Published at 1:08 p.m.

• Asia

Five-metre-high waves hit the coast of Taiwan on Wednesday as Typhoon Kong-rey approached, and forecasters expect the storm to strengthen before it reaches the island, making it one of the strongest in years.

The gusts generated by Kong -rey are already sometimes exceeding 230 km/h as it approaches the shore, according to the latest bulletin from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, a weather center for the U.S. military.

The typhoon is expected to unleash “destructive” winds when it makes landfall Thursday in southeastern Taiwan, the least populated part of the island of 23 million people already in the grip of the monsoon season.

Photo: Johnson Lai Associated Press Waves crash near the port fishing village of Pa-tou-tzu, in northeastern Taiwan, before the arrival of the typhoon on Wednesday.

More than a meter of rain could fall by Friday in the worst-hit areas, prompting thousands of people to evacuate their homes in the most vulnerable areas as a precaution.

Kong-rey is currently stronger than Typhoon Gaemi, the strongest storm to hit Taiwan in eight years when it made landfall in July.

Over 6,200 evacuated

Taiwanese authorities closed schools and offices on the outlying islands of eastern Taitung County on Wednesday, where the typhoon is expected to make direct landfall. On Thursday, classes and work will be suspended in a number of cities and regions.

Dozens of ferry connections and domestic flights were also cancelled on Wednesday.

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Fishermen moored their boats at the port in the northern region of Yilan. “Of course I'm worried, everything I own is here,” one of them, who gave his name as “Captain Chen,” told AFP.

The heaviest rain is expected on the eastern and northern coasts, as well as in the mountains of the central and southern regions, according to the Central Meteorological Administration.

Yilan and the eastern county of Hualien are expected to be the worst hit, with cumulative rainfall expected to reach 800 to 1,200 millimeters (31.5 to 47.2 inches) from Tuesday to Friday, meteorologist Chang Chun-yao told AFP.

“Based on the typhoon's predicted path, we advise Yilan, Hualien and Taitung to take precautions against possible landslides and debris flows in areas expected to receive heavy rain,” he added.

Authorities began evacuations Wednesday in eight counties and cities, including Yilan, Hualien and Taitung, authorities said.

A total of 6,200 people had been evacuated by the evening.

In Yilan, soldiers were deployed to fill sandbags and help residents protect their homes.

“The concern is heightened as some reconstruction work after the previous typhoon has yet to be completed,” he added. “The earthquake has started and more caution should be exercised in areas hit by recent earthquakes,” said Chen Chen-yu, head of a disaster monitoring team.

“Torrential rains”

Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang expressed concern about the fate of two Czech tourists hiking in the Taroko Gorge near Hualien, who were unreachable on their mobile phones on Wednesday.

In the Philippines, more than 174,000 people fled when the typhoon passed through the northern island of Luzon, days after a storm that killed at least 145 people.

Kong-rey is moving at a speed of 20 km/h, the Central Meteorological Administration said.

As rain began to fall on Wednesday, residents of Taipei, the capital, rushed to the markets to stock up on supplies in preparation for the storm.

“When a typhoon comes, everyone cooks at home, so people buy more,” said Ms. Tsai, a vegetable vendor.

President Lai Ching-te has urged people to stay vigilant and avoid going to the mountains or the seaside.

“This typhoon is moving fast and will bring strong winds and torrential rain,” he warned.

An unusual typhoon

Taiwan is used to tropical storms, which are common from July to October, but it is “unusual for such a powerful typhoon to hit the island so late in the year,” noted meteorologist Chang Chun-yao.

Climate change is increasing their intensity, with heavy downpours, flash floods and very strong gusts of wind, scientists say.

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

Gaemi killed 10 people and injured hundreds, causing widespread flooding in the southern city of Kaohsiung.

This typhoon was followed by Krathon, which swept through southern Taiwan in early October, bringing destructive winds, flooding and mudslides that killed at least four people and injured hundreds.