Strongest Typhoon in Decades Hits Taiwan

Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall on Taiwan’s east coast Thursday as the biggest storm to hit the island in nearly 30 years. With a radius of almost 200 miles, Kong-rey enveloped Taiwan’s mainland and outer islands, bringing downpours and winds up to 155 mph.

The Central Weather Administration classified Kong-rey at Taiwan’s most powerful storm level, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane. Taiwan has not been hit by a storm this large since 1996.

Preparations: The island shut down businesses, schools and public transportation in preparation for the storm’s landfall. Around 8,600 people were evacuated from high-risk areas.

• Authorities issued 63 landslide warnings, with up to 3.9 feet of rainfall expected to pour on some areas. Four landslides have so far been recorded.
• At least 73 people have been injured.
• One person died when their car hit a fallen tree.

Why natural disasters? Typhoons are common in Taiwan around this time of year. But dealing with the effects of these storms is not any easier. And the storms are growing stronger.

To understand why these storms occur, read Why ‘Natural’ Disasters?