Taifun Kong-Rey meets Taiwan, the strongest storm since 1996
Taifun Kong-Rey meets Taiwan, the strongest storm since 1996
Taipei, Taiwan-heavy rains and violent winds hit Taiwan on Thursday when the Taifun Kong-Rey landed on the southeast coast of the island. This is the biggest storm that Taiwan has hit for almost three decades.
intensity and effects of the TAIFuns Kong-Rey
Kong-Rey brought winds with speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour (125 mph), which corresponds to a category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic when it landed on Thursday afternoon, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). The radius, in which the strongest winds-320 kilometers-makes Kong-Rey the biggest storm that Taiwan affected since Taifun Herb in 1996, confirmed Chang Chun-Yao, a meteorologist of the central weather management of the island
preparations and evacuations in Taiwan
The local authorities have temporarily closed offices and schools in front of the approaching storm, while trading was suspended on the Taiwanese stock exchange. Despite overall strong crisis management in Taiwan, there may be particularly in remote mountain villages. The Taiwanese army has made more than 34,000 soldiers willing to support them in rescue campaigns. Over 8,600 people have already been evacuated from risky areas, as the Center for Emergency Operations on the island reported.exposure to traffic and canceled flights
More than 500 flights, including 300 international connections, were canceled, and all ferry connections to the surrounding islands of Taiwan were discontinued, as the Taiwanese Civil Aviation Authority announced. The high-speed train traffic only works to a limited extent, while the Taipei subway has set operation on various outdoor traces.
The destruction by Kong-Rey
Pictures of the Taiwanese show huge waves that bounce on the coast of the southeastern district, While parts of the neighboring district of Huals have sunk into floods. Fallow street signs and traffic lights were also spotted in various regions of Taiwan.
heavy rains and possible floods
Kong-Rey intensified quickly and reached the strength of a super vaif on Wednesday while moving towards Taiwan after devastating the Philippines. Although the storm became a little weaker before the direct impact on Taiwan, it nevertheless brings violent rainfall, the flash floods and falling waves as well as the risk of landslides.
The most difficult rainfalls are expected in the eastern Taiwan. On Thursday, the Taiwanese weather authority published a warning of "extremely heavy" rainfalls, the highest alarm level, for parts of the districts of Yilan, Hualien, Taichung and Taitung along the East Tawanese coast. The rest of the eastern Taiwan and parts of the north, including Taipei, are under a warning of "strong" precipitation, the second highest level. In parts of the eastern Taiwan, additional rain could fall over half a meter (20 inches), which can lead to considerable flash floods and landslides, warned the Cwa.
The influence of climate change
scientists indicate that warmer oceans due to human -made climate change lead to storms more intense. In addition, Kong-Rey is the third TAIFUN, which meets Taiwan this year, to Krathon and Gaemi.
past storms and future effects
At the beginning of the month, Taifun Krathon killed four people when he brought particularly heavy rains in the south of the island. In the past few days, the northern parts of Luzon, the main island of the Philippines, have been hit locally by the outer ligaments of Kong-Rey, known locally as Leon. The authorities ordered evacuations and warned of the effects after they had already suffered significant devastation through the tropical storm Trami (also known as crestins) last week, which cost at least 130 people. After the transfer to Nordtaiwanstrasse, the storm is expected to move to the East China Sea and further towards Japan.
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