Taipei, Taiwan (CNN) — On Thursday, Taiwan faced severe impacts as Typhoon Kong-rey, the most powerful storm to hit the island in nearly 30 years, made landfall along its southeast coast. The storm claimed at least two lives and left over 500 injured.
Packing winds near 200 kilometers per hour (125 mph)—equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane—the typhoon reached Taitung county on Thursday afternoon, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). The storm's maximum wind radius extended approximately 320 kilometers (200 miles), marking it as the largest typhoon to impact Taiwan since Typhoon Herb in 1996, said Chang Chun-yao, a forecaster with the Central Weather Administration (CWA).
A 56-year-old woman died in Nantou after being struck by a falling tree while in her car, and a 48-year-old man was killed when an electric pole collapsed in Taipei.
Ahead of Kong-rey's arrival, authorities closed schools and offices, and stock market trading was suspended. The military mobilized over 34,000 soldiers for potential rescue operations, while 8,600 residents were evacuated from high-risk areas.
The storm disrupted transport extensively, canceling over 500 flights and suspending all ferry services to outlying islands. High-speed rail operations were reduced, and parts of the Taipei metro were halted.
Images shared by the Central News Agency and social media highlighted ferocious waves battering Taitung’s coast and floodwaters inundating Hualien. Scenes of toppled road signs and damaged infrastructure were widespread.
Kong-rey intensified into a super typhoon before reaching Taiwan, having previously affected the Philippines. Although it weakened slightly before landfall, the storm unleashed heavy rainfall, flash floods, storm surges, and landslides. The CWA issued an “extremely torrential” rainfall warning—the highest level—for parts of Yilan, Hualien, Taichung, and Taitung. Other areas, including Taipei, faced “torrential” rainfall warnings, with up to 20 inches (50 cm) of rain expected.
Climate scientists note that warmer ocean temperatures due to human-induced climate change are causing storms to strengthen more rapidly.
Typhoon Kong-rey was the third typhoon to hit Taiwan this year, following Typhoon Krathon, which killed four, and Typhoon Gaemi. The typhoon’s outer bands also lashed northern Luzon in the Philippines, where evacuations were underway following devastation from Tropical Storm Trami (Kristine) that recently claimed at least 130 lives.
Kong-rey is now expected to move into the East China Sea, heading toward Japan after crossing the northern Taiwan Strait.
This report has been updated with new details.
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