On Thursday, Taiwan faced the impact of Typhoon Kong-rey, the largest storm to hit the island in nearly three decades. Packing winds approaching 200 kilometers per hour, equivalent to a Category 3 Atlantic hurricane, Kong-rey made landfall along the southeast coast.
Local authorities took precautionary measures by ordering temporary closures of offices and schools, with Taiwan suspending trading on its stock market. The military put over 34,000 soldiers on standby for rescue efforts, and more than 8,600 people were evacuated from high-risk areas.
With over 500 flights canceled, including 300 international journeys, and ferry services suspended to outlying islands, Taiwan braced for the impact of the storm. High-speed rail services operated at limited capacity, and the Taipei metro suspended services on open-air sections.
Images showed ferocious waves hitting the coast of southeastern Taitung county and floodwaters submerging parts of neighboring Hualien county. The storm brought intense downpours, flash flooding, storm surges, and the risk of landslides.
The heaviest rainfall was expected across eastern Taiwan, with warnings issued for torrential rainfall in various counties. Kong-rey is the third typhoon to make landfall on Taiwan this year, following Krathon and Gaemi.
After affecting Taiwan, the storm is forecast to move into the East China Sea and head towards Japan. The region continues to monitor the situation closely as Kong-rey's impacts unfold.
