Taiwan is bracing for the arrival of powerful Typhoon Gaemi, the first typhoon of the season to affect the island, which is expected to make landfall on the North East coast late on Wednesday. The storm has already led to the cancellation of parts of Taiwan’s largest annual military drills and the suspension of work and classes across the island.
With winds of up to 240kmh (150 mph), equivalent to a high category 4 hurricane, Gaemi is expected to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds to Taiwan. The government has declared Wednesday a typhoon day, except for the Kinmen islands, and chip manufacturing giant TSMC has announced that their plants will maintain normal operations.
The storm is currently tracking slightly further north and is expected to cross the north of Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, before moving on to strike the coast of Fujian in South East China. Despite the strong winds, officials are warning that the main threat from Gaemi is the huge amount of moisture it is carrying.
Authorities are predicting more than one meter of rainfall across central and southern mountains of the island in the next 24 hours, raising concerns about landslides and flash flooding. In Taipei, shelves in supermarkets were left bare as residents stocked up ahead of the typhoon.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, Gaemi brought relentless rains, causing floods in the capital Manila. The state weather bureau has warned that the rains could persist until Thursday, leading to the suspension of work and classes in the region.
As Taiwan and the Philippines prepare for the impact of Typhoon Gaemi, residents are urged to take precautions and stay safe during this powerful storm.
