Typhoon Danas Approaches Taiwan, Expanding Warnings to 20 Municipalities

Taipei, Taiwan (CNA) — The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has expanded its land warning for Typhoon Danas to 20 municipalities as the storm approaches Taiwan’s shores. This decision was made on Sunday as the storm gained strength and was upgraded from a tropical storm to a typhoon by 11 a.m.

The updated warning, announced on Sunday afternoon, covers major cities including Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Keelung, and Hsinchu, along with several counties such as Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, and others. The only outlying island receiving the warning is Penghu County.

As of 1 p.m., the eye of Typhoon Danas was located 210 kilometers south-southwest of Penghu, moving north-northeast at a speed of 19 to 23 kilometers per hour. The CWA reports maximum sustained winds of 119 kph near the center, with gusts reaching up to 155 kph.

CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua stated that the forecasted path of Danas suggests it will travel northward along Taiwan’s western coast into the Taiwan Strait, where it may strengthen further over the weekend. The storm is expected to reach its peak intensity between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.

Weather forecasts indicate significant rainfall in areas such as Hualien and Taitung, with mountainous regions throughout Yilan and central Taiwan also anticipating heavy rain. In anticipation of the storm, heavy rain warnings have been issued for multiple regions, with localized downpours expected to continue as Danas moves northward.

With the approaching storm, the mayors of Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, and Taoyuan will hold a meeting on Sunday to assess the situation, with an announcement regarding any necessary actions due later in the day at 8 p.m.