Typhoon Haikui has made landfall in eastern Taiwan, unleashing torrential downpours, whipping up fierce winds and plunging thousands of households into darkness.
Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated from high-risk areas, hundreds of flights cancelled, and businesses closed in preparation for the storm.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau had earlier said the typhoon was “at our doorstep” and by 3:40pm (07:40 GMT) on Sunday, it confirmed it had made landfall in coastal Taitung, a mountainous county in lesser-populated eastern Taiwan.
Residents hunkered down indoors in the dark, staying away from windows as strong gusts of wind sent toppled trees and dislodged water tanks flying in the air, according to AFP news agency reports.
“Rain and wind will be most intense, and its impact will be most obvious during this period” after landfall, said a spokesperson with the weather bureau, adding that the typhoon will move into the Taiwan Strait by Monday evening.
Across the island, more than 21,000 households lost power, and while most resumed by mid-afternoon, about 9,000 were still without electricity when Haikui hit, including in Taitung.
Post from www.aljazeera.com