2024-07-24 19:02:53
After already causing eight deaths, Gaemi made landfall on the night of Wednesday July 24 to Wednesday July 25, in Taiwan. Schools were closed and thousands of people were evacuated, in anticipation of the expected storm. “The strongest” to hit the island in eight years, Huang En-hong, a forecaster with the Taiwanese weather service, told Agence France-Presse.
“According to the latest weather data, the center [du typhon Gaemi] made landfall near Na’ao, Yilan County, around midnight today [heure locale, 18 heures à Paris] »Taiwan’s central weather administration said on Facebook. “Wind and rain continue to increase, threatening many areas in Taiwan [et les îles voisines] reach Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu »warning for management, inviting everyone to know “Maximum Alert”.
Even before the typhoon arrived, the storm caused heavy rain and strong winds that caused the death of a motorcyclist, a tree fell in the southern city of Kaohsiung, and that of a woman in Hualien province, in the Northeast, mourned the deaths of authority. . More than 8,000 people were evacuated from the three northern provinces, especially Hualien, the most dangerous mountainous region on earth. By evening, nearly 200 people were injured in Taiwan and more than 290,000 homes were without power, authorities announced.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te urged everyone to “put safety first”. “Gaemi is the first typhoon this year to make landfall in Taiwan”briefed Mr. Lai to the media. “I hope that through our joint efforts, the impact of the typhoon can be reduced (…). I also encourage my fellow citizens across the country not to go out during the storm unless absolutely necessary, and especially not to dangerous places. “. Taiwanese authorities declared Wednesday a non-working day to reduce risks, and schools and offices will be closed on Wednesday in many cities across the country, including Taipei.
More tropical storms due to climate change
Taiwanese authorities have canceled some of the annual military exercises on Tuesday due to weather conditions. Railway and train services were temporarily suspended, and hundreds of international and domestic flights were canceled on Wednesday. “We expect the impact of the hurricane to spread” until Friday, warned Cheng Jia-ping, head of Taiwan’s Central Meteorological Administration, adding that everyone should “Beware of heavy rain and strong winds”.
Huge waves hit the coast of Yilan County in the northeast. In Taipei, shops and government offices are closed for the public holiday. Chip Taiwanese TSMC has assured that it will maintain normal production and that the company “Hurricane preparedness measures have been activated” in all its factories.
Taiwan used to experience tropical storms from July to October, but experts believe climate change has increased their intensity. The typhoon was expected to cross the Taiwan Strait and hit China’s eastern provinces on Thursday, where authorities issued a red typhoon alert and partially suspended train services for the day. Media reports, said the authorities, reported that waves of four to six meters high could hit the beach.
In Japan, the authorities of Okinawa, an island region in the south, have invited residents “Be very careful in the face of storms and strong waves” and flooding. In the north of the Philippines, heavy rains caused widespread flooding in the city of Manila and submerged the land, resulting in the death of six people.
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