Weakened but Powerful Typhoon Krathon Hits Taiwan, Killing Two

Typhoon Krathon, although weakened to a category 1 storm, hit southwestern Taiwan on Thursday, leaving two people dead and causing significant disruption across the island. Making landfall near Kaohsiung, a major port city, the storm brought with it heavy rain, strong winds, and dangerous storm surges. Despite the typhoon’s reduced intensity, authorities urged residents to remain indoors as gusts over 160 kph (100 mph) were recorded, with Kaohsiung’s port experiencing even stronger winds of more than 220 kph.

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai expressed concern about people continuing to venture outside despite the warnings, calling it “very dangerous” to be on the streets with such severe weather conditions. The storm led to widespread disruptions, grounding hundreds of flights, closing financial markets for a second day, and halting high-speed rail services between central and southern Taiwan.

Tragically, the typhoon has claimed two lives so far. One man fell while trimming a tree, and another died when his vehicle was hit by a falling rock. Both incidents occurred on Taiwan’s eastern, mountainous regions, which have been hit particularly hard by torrential rain, causing landslides and road blockages.

Although Taiwan is no stranger to typhoons, Krathon’s path was unusual. The storm hovered off the coast for some time before making landfall on Taiwan’s west coast—a rarity in a region where storms typically strike the east. Local media has described Krathon as a “weird” storm due to its erratic behavior and unusual trajectory.

Amid the chaos, the Southern Taiwan Science Park, home to major semiconductor factories like TSMC, reported that operations were continuing as normal. However, heavy rainfalls exceeding 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) in parts of eastern Taiwan led to significant flooding and mudslides.

In an unrelated but tragic incident, six people died in a hospital fire in Pingtung County. Efforts were made to evacuate patients as authorities worked through the storm to manage the disaster.

Typhoon Krathon is expected to weaken into a tropical depression by Friday as it continues moving north, but authorities remain on alert for further impacts.