2023-09-03 13:08:06
21,000 homes without electricity
A collapsed tent in Hualien, Taiwan, September 3, 2023. — © CTI / via REUTERS
Across the island, more than 21,000 homes were without power. Most of them regained power by mid-followingnoon, but regarding 9,000 were still without power when Haikui made landfall.
The last major storm to hit the island before Haikui was Typhoon Bailu, which killed one person in 2019. Authorities on Sunday reported two minor injuries in Hualien County (east of the island), where a tree fell on a car.
He poses a ‘considerable threat’
The typhoon “is expected to pose a considerable threat to most parts of Taiwan with wind, rain and waves,” Meteorological Bureau Deputy Director Fong Chin-tzu previously warned during a press conference.
According to the Meteorological Bureau, Haikui will cross the south of the island from east to west on Sunday evening before moving away over the Taiwan Strait by Monday morning towards mainland China.
4000 people evacuated
The typhoon led to the evacuation of around 4,000 people living in the most exposed areas, according to the authorities. More than 200 domestic flights were canceled on Sunday, and businesses closed in most parts of the east and south of the island.
“I remind people to prepare for the typhoon, ensure their safety, avoid dangerous outings and activities,” said Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
A white veil
The streets of Hualien were deserted on Sunday morning, battered by relentless rain. In a fishing port in Yilan county (northeast), huge waves crashed on the shore. In Taitung County, strong winds and torrential rain plunged the landscape into a kind of whiteout, with no visibility.
“I had almost forgotten what it was like to be in a typhoon. How violent this wind!” exclaims Huang Jun-tong, owner of a seafood restaurant, making sure that his establishment is well caulked. “And yet yesterday everything was so calm, it didn’t feel like a typhoon was approaching.”
The army has mobilized soldiers and equipment, such as amphibious vehicles and inflatable boats, in areas of the island where the greatest damage is feared. But Haikui is expected to be weaker than Saola, which raised high alerts in Hong Kong and southern China before degrading into a tropical storm on Saturday.
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