Typhoon Gaemi ravaged northern Taiwan on Thursday, resulting in two fatalities, widespread flooding, and the sinking of a freighter before it proceeded westward across the Taiwan Strait towards China, where it is anticipated to unleash further heavy rainfall. Gaemi made landfall at around midnight (1600 GMT Wednesday) on Taiwan's northeastern coast in Yilan County. It marks the most powerful typhoon to strike the island in eight years, with wind gusts reaching up to 227 kph (141 mph) before it began to weaken, as reported by the Central Weather Administration.
By 12:15 p.m. (0415 GMT), Gaemi had moved into the Taiwan Strait, setting its course for Fuzhou in China's Fujian Province. This would be the most significant typhoon to impact China's eastern coastline this year, with its expansive cloud bands stretching across much of the Western Pacific Ocean, causing severe weather conditions from the Philippines to Japan's Okinawa Islands.
In Taiwan, the typhoon caused power outages for approximately half a million households; however, most have since been restored, according to Taipower. Accumulated rainfall in some southern regions of Taiwan has reached 2,200 mm (87 inches) since Tuesday. The typhoon is expected to continue bringing rain to Taiwan, with offices, schools, and financial markets remaining closed for a second consecutive day on Thursday. Train services will remain suspended until 3 p.m. (0700 GMT), with all domestic and 195 international flights cancelled for the day. The high-speed train connecting northern and southern Taiwan will resume operations at 2 p.m. (0600 GMT).
The government reported two deaths and 266 injuries due to the typhoon. Taiwanese television broadcast images of flooded streets across various cities and counties. Li Li-chuan, 55, witnessed the roof of her restaurant being blown off in the northeastern city of Suao. "I was terrified," she told Reuters. "It was the strongest storm in years. I feared the roof would harm others."
Taiwan's fire department reported that a Tanzania-flagged freighter with nine Myanmar nationals aboard had sunk off the coast of Kaohsiung, with no contact from the crew. Search operations are ongoing. In China, weather forecasters predict that Gaemi will traverse Fujian Province later on Thursday and move inland, gradually weakening as it heads northward. However, significant rainfall is expected in many areas along its path.
Government officials have taken measures to prepare for heavy rain and flooding, escalating advisories and warnings in the coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang. In Fujian, approximately 150,000 people, primarily from coastal fishing communities, have been relocated, according to state media. In Zhoushan, Zhejiang, officials have halted passenger waterway services for up to three days due to strong winds. Most flights at airports in Fuzhou, Quanzhou (Fujian), and Wenzhou (Zhejiang) have been cancelled, as per the VariFlight app. Guangzhou rail authorities have suspended some train services passing through typhoon-affected areas, according to CCTV.
Simultaneously, northern China is experiencing heavy rainfall from summer storms associated with a separate weather system. In Beijing, some areas have seen heavy rain, prompting the activation of emergency plans and the evacuation of over 25,000 people, as reported by Beijing Daily. Some train services at the Beijing West Railway Station have also been suspended.
