Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taiwan, becoming the strongest storm to strike the island in nearly thirty years, prompting extensive preparations and widespread evacuations.
**Typhoon Kong-rey Strikes Taiwan, Marking Historic Weather Event**
**Typhoon Kong-rey Strikes Taiwan, Marking Historic Weather Event**
A powerful Category 3 typhoon makes history as it hits Taiwan, leading to evacuations and significant disruption.
On the afternoon of October 30, 2024, Typhoon Kong-rey made contact with Taiwan as a formidable Category 3 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of approximately 126 miles per hour, reported the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Gene Huang, a forecaster from Taiwan's Central Weather Administration, pointed out that this typhoon was the most powerful to hit the region since 1996.
In response to the imminent threat, Taiwanese authorities closed down schools, offices, and financial markets. Thousands of residents were evacuated from their homes, with over 9,600 people forced to leave their neighborhoods across 13 different cities and counties. Meanwhile, transportation was heavily affected, with hundreds of flights grounded due to severe weather conditions.
As the storm progressed, injuries were reported, including that of a 56-year-old woman who tragically lost her life due to a tree collapsing on her vehicle. As of the same day, 73 injuries attributed to the typhoon’s fury were registered by the national fire agency, demonstrating the storm's perilous impact.
Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued land and sea warnings to anticipate sustained winds exceeding 39 miles per hour, predicting that some mountainous regions could see potential rainfall totals reaching four feet. The storm's severe weather advisories spanned the entire island, as residents prepared for significant disruptions to their daily lives.
Amid the chaos, local residents struggled to adapt, with one shopper in a Taipei supermarket expressing, “My plans are in chaos,” as she filled her basket with essential supplies. This sentiment reflects a broader sentiment of uncertainty and urgency felt across the island as communities brace for the storm's full impact.
In response to the imminent threat, Taiwanese authorities closed down schools, offices, and financial markets. Thousands of residents were evacuated from their homes, with over 9,600 people forced to leave their neighborhoods across 13 different cities and counties. Meanwhile, transportation was heavily affected, with hundreds of flights grounded due to severe weather conditions.
As the storm progressed, injuries were reported, including that of a 56-year-old woman who tragically lost her life due to a tree collapsing on her vehicle. As of the same day, 73 injuries attributed to the typhoon’s fury were registered by the national fire agency, demonstrating the storm's perilous impact.
Taiwan's Interior Ministry issued land and sea warnings to anticipate sustained winds exceeding 39 miles per hour, predicting that some mountainous regions could see potential rainfall totals reaching four feet. The storm's severe weather advisories spanned the entire island, as residents prepared for significant disruptions to their daily lives.
Amid the chaos, local residents struggled to adapt, with one shopper in a Taipei supermarket expressing, “My plans are in chaos,” as she filled her basket with essential supplies. This sentiment reflects a broader sentiment of uncertainty and urgency felt across the island as communities brace for the storm's full impact.
