Typhoon Gaemi Causes Devastation in Taiwan and Southern China

Typhoon Gaemi is sweeping through southern China after causing significant destruction in Taiwan, resulting in at least two fatalities and the sinking of a cargo ship with nine crew members reported missing.

The typhoon made landfall on Taiwan’s northeastern coast at around midnight, bringing fierce winds reaching up to 227 km/h (141 mph). Now, it is heading towards Fuzhou in China’s Fujian province.

Reports from Taiwan’s fire department indicate that a Tanzania-flagged cargo ship sank off the coast near the southern port city of Kaohsiung. The crew, all from Myanmar, had to abandon ship wearing life jackets.

Hsiao Huan-chang, the head of Taiwan’s fire agency, mentioned that although the crew reached out to a nearby Taiwanese vessel, the conditions were too dangerous for a search. “When the weather permits, we will immediately dispatch ships or helicopters to rescue, but at the moment it is not possible,” he stated.

Authorities confirmed that Gaemi is the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years, with an extraordinary rainfall total of 2,200 mm (87 inches) since Tuesday. The storm’s fury resulted in two deaths—a motorist crushed by a tree in Kaohsiung and a woman in Hualien who died when a building collapsed on her, with over 200 people injured.

In response to the storm, several cities, including Taipei, declared a second day off with schools, government offices, and the stock market closed. Hundreds of flights, both domestic and international, were canceled.

Chinese weather forecasters have warned that Gaemi will pass through Fujian later today, prompting the province to activate its second-highest flood alert level. The Ministry of Water Resources cautioned of extremely heavy rains that could lead to swollen rivers and lakes in Fujian and the neighboring province of Zhejiang.

To ensure public safety, about 150,000 individuals, primarily from coastal fishing communities, have been relocated in Fujian. As winds intensified, officials in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, suspended passenger waterway routes for up to three days, while train services were also canceled in affected areas.

Meanwhile, northern China is grappling with its own challenges as summer storms from another weather system bring heavy rains. In Beijing, over 25,000 people have been evacuated amidst emergency plans being activated due to flooding risks.

In the Philippines, the impact of Gaemi has worsened seasonal monsoon rains, causing flooding and landslides. Recent reports confirm at least 20 deaths in the last two weeks, primarily around Manila and its provinces.