TAIPEI, Taiwan: Typhoon Koinu, named after “puppy” in Japanese, made a powerful sweep across southern Taiwan on Thursday, leaving a trail of injuries and widespread disruptions.
While it brought intense winds and heavy rainstorms, the island fortunately reported no fatalities.
Koinu made landfall at Cape Eluanbi, the southernmost tip of Taiwan, in the early hours of Thursday and is anticipated to weaken as it continues its westward trajectory towards Guangdong and Fujian provinces in southern China.
Unexpectedly robust winds accompanied Koinu’s approach to Taiwan, with a recorded gust of 343 kph (213 mph) on Wednesday night at Orchid Island. By Thursday morning, Koinu sustained maximum winds of 162 kph (101 mph) with gusts reaching 198 kph (123 mph), according to the weather bureau.
Typhoon #Koinu makes landfall in Taiwan….#TyphoonKoinu #TyphoonKoinu
https://t.co/RHl2pSMTVG— Chaudhary Parvez (@ChaudharyParvez) October 5, 2023
In response to the approaching typhoon, cities across the island suspended work and classes, including the major southern port city of Kaohsiung. However, the capital city, Taipei, continued its operations, and the rain had subsided as of Thursday morning.
Taiwan’s fire department reported a total of 190 injuries, primarily in cities along the west coast, such as Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung. As a precautionary measure, most domestic flights along with 42 international flights were cancelled on Thursday, as confirmed by the transportation ministry. Furthermore, ferries to outlying islands were temporarily suspended.
Taiwan, located in a region prone to tropical cyclones, experiences their impact frequently. However, Koinu is only the second typhoon to make landfall in the past four years, with the previous being Typhoon Haikui, which struck the island in early September, resulting in dozens of injuries.
