Typhoon Gaemi has made landfall on Taiwan’s east coast, unleashing winds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph).
Landing near the city of Hualien, Gaemi is projected to be the strongest storm to strike the island in the past eight years.
Reports indicate that two lives have been lost, with hundreds more sustaining injuries due to the storm’s impacts.
In response to the severe weather, the island’s largest annual military exercises have been cancelled, and nearly all domestic flights along with over 200 international flights have been halted.
Authorities warn that one of the primary threats posed by the typhoon is its potential to trigger landslides and flash flooding, particularly in regions made unstable by a significant earthquake in April.
Before reaching Taiwan, Gaemi caused relentless rainfall across extensive areas of the Philippines, leading to major flooding in the capital, Manila.
The storm equates to a category four hurricane in terms of wind strength and destructive capacity.
Taiwan’s government has declared Wednesday a typhoon day, suspending work and classes throughout the island except in the Kinmen islands.
However, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has announced that its operations will continue as usual.
Initially predicted to hit further north, the typhoon’s path shifted slightly southward toward Hualien due to the mountainous terrain of northern Taiwan.
As it traverses Taiwan’s mountainous landscape, the typhoon is expected to weaken before re-entering the Taiwan Strait en route to China.
A secondary landfall is anticipated in Fujian Province, China, later on Thursday, with forecasts predicting up to 300 mm of rain, likely resulting in severe flooding as the storm moves inland.
Predicted Path of Typhoon Gaemi
Despite the intense winds, officials highlight that the main threat from Gaemi is the substantial moisture it carries.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration has issued a land warning across all of Taiwan, predicting the worst wind and rain conditions on Wednesday and Thursday.
Authorities anticipate that central and southern mountainous regions may receive between one and two meters of rainfall in the next 24 hours.
Supermarket shelves in Taipei were stripped bare on Tuesday evening as residents prepared for potential price hikes post-typhoon.
The escalating threat of the typhoon has compelled the government to cancel portions of its scheduled week-long Hang Kuang military drills, despite prior assertions that they would be “the most realistic ever.”
In the Philippines, Gaemi and a southwest monsoon brought heavy rainfall on Wednesday, prompting suspension of work and classes, along with trading in stock and foreign exchange markets.
Metro Manila, housing nearly 15 million residents, has been placed under a state of calamity due to overflowing rivers and creeks.
Footage shared online shows cars submerged in deep waters while commuters are stranded atop bus roofs.
The national weather bureau expects the rains, typical for this season, to continue until Thursday.
