KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan: Taiwan is on high alert as Super Typhoon Krathon approaches, with the island taking extensive precautions to mitigate potential damage. Packing winds of 198 kilometers per hour (123 mph) and gusts up to 245 kph, Krathon is expected to make landfall near Kaohsiung, a major southern port city, on Wednesday.
Schools and offices have been shut down across southern and eastern Taiwan, while over 7,700 people have been evacuated from vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure.
President Lai Ching-te warned of “catastrophic damage” due to Krathon’s unusual path, entering from the south and exiting through the east. The defense ministry has deployed nearly 40,000 troops on standby for relief operations. In Kaohsiung, residents prepared by filling sandbags and taping windows, while coast guards urged the public to avoid coastal areas as powerful waves battered the shores.
The typhoon has already impacted the Philippines, where it damaged homes and forced nearly 1,800 people to evacuate, particularly in the Batanes islands near Taiwan. Taiwan’s coast guard also reported that a Barbadian ship, Blue Lagoon, was taking on water near Taitung, with its crew awaiting rescue when conditions improve.
With several flights canceled and reports of minor injuries, Taiwan remains on high alert, closely monitoring the storm’s movements.
