On Tuesday, Taiwan took extensive precautions ahead of the powerful Typhoon Krathon, mobilizing nearly 40,000 troops to support rescue efforts as the storm threatens to bring a significant storm surge along the island’s southwestern coast. The coast guard is also engaged in a search for 19 sailors who abandoned a sinking ship off Taiwan’s southeast coast.
Although Taiwan regularly experiences typhoons, Krathon is expected to make landfall on the more densely populated western plains, rather than the typical mountainous east coast. The typhoon is forecast to strike Kaohsiung, a major port city of 2.7 million people, on Wednesday afternoon before moving northeast across the island and heading out to the East China Sea. The U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center has classified Krathon as a super typhoon.
Kaohsiung authorities have declared a public holiday, advising residents to stay indoors as the storm approaches with gusts exceeding 150 kph (93 mph). Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA) warns that heavy rains could cause severe flooding in coastal areas due to an anticipated storm surge and difficulty in discharging water.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai compared the storm’s intensity to 1977’s Typhoon Thelma, which killed 37 people and devastated the city. The mayor urged residents to remain indoors and prepare for the worst-case scenario. “After the typhoon, the whole of Kaohsiung was without water and electricity, just like a war,” Chen said, recalling Thelma’s destruction.
As the city braces for the storm, fisherman Chen Ming-huang has been securing his boat in the harbor, fearing it could drift away if ropes snap under the storm’s pressure. Other residents are making preparations, such as practicing the rapid installation of metal barriers to prevent flooding in underground parking lots. “We will have only a few minutes to react if the flooding is coming,” said Chiu Yun-ping, a building committee member.
Taiwan’s defense ministry has placed over 38,000 troops on standby for rescue and recovery operations. Meanwhile, off the coast, the coast guard is racing to rescue 19 sailors from the cargo vessel Blue Lagoon, which was forced to abandon ship after water flooded its engine room. The crew, consisting of Ukrainians, Egyptians, and Russians, had set sail from China for Singapore.
The typhoon has also disrupted transportation across Taiwan, with domestic and international flights grounded, boats to outlying islands canceled, and some rail lines closed. In the city, most businesses have shuttered, and streets are largely deserted as residents hunker down for the storm.
Technology giant TSMC, which operates a large factory in nearby Tainan, has enacted its standard typhoon preparations and does not expect significant disruptions to its operations. However, residents near the Kaohsiung harbor are making their own emergency plans. “It’s a strong typhoon, and we are worried,” said local resident Chen Mei-ling, who has stocked up on torches and emergency food supplies.