Typhoon Gamemi moves through Asiawreaking havoc and halting the work of offices, transporters and factories. According to the Associated Press, the element left behind flooded streets of the Philippines and 13 fatalitiesalthough it did not hit the country directly, but only moved along its eastern coast. It was necessary to evacuate 600 thousand people.
Currently the element is moving over Taiwanem. Forecasters expect the storm to hit the northeastern part of the island hardest, where it is expected to make landfall Wednesday evening. The storm will then move across the Taiwan Strait and hit China's southeastern Fujian province on Thursday afternoon. China have already taken preparatory measures to combat the element – among other things, passenger trains have been suspended.
Gaemi is classified as strong typhoon with wind gusts of up to 227 km per hourRain is expected in central Taiwan do 1800 mmFinancial markets were closed, a day off work was declared and the annual Han Kuang military exercises were suspended, including canceling fighter jet exercises on the eastern coast, the Defense Ministry said.
“The typhoon's impact on the eastern coast is quite obvious,” ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang told reporters at the Hualien Air Base. “So we will adjust some elements of the air and navy based on the situation,” he added.
A dangerous element has hit East Asia. There are victims
“Please stay home,” Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an wrote on social media. “Gaemi, the first typhoon this year, continues to grow stronger,” he added.
In the capital Taipei and the neighboring cities of New Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan, a decision was made to closure of schools.
Gaemi is the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in the last eight years. One person was killed when a falling tree crushed him in the southern city of Kaohsiung, local officials said. Another 58 people were injured.
“The next 24 hours will be a very serious challenge,” Taiwanese Prime Minister Cho Jung-tai told a televised meeting of the country's crisis response center.
“This could be the biggest typhoon in recent years,” fishing boat captain Hung Chun told Reuters, adding that the Suao port in Yilan was filled with boats seeking shelter. “It is heading directly towards the eastern coast and if it makes landfall here, the damage will be enormous – added.
Typhoon Gaemi: Taiwan prepares to fight the elements
The Taiwanese government said more than 4,000 people had been evacuated from sparsely populated mountainous areas threatened by landslides following “extremely heavy rain.”
More than a thousand rubber boats have been put on standby in case of possible flooding on the island, which will coincide with the annual high tides, and emergency food, water and communications equipment have been delivered to remote areas.
Although typhoons can be very destructive, Taiwan also uses them to replenish reservoirs after the normally dry winter months, especially in the southern part of the island.
Source: Associated Press, Reuters